Estate Litigation

Contesting a will is a complicated process, especially if you are not familiar with the timelines. California law sets strict deadlines for anyone who wants to challenge a will. If you miss these deadlines, you could lose the chance to contest the will entirely...

When you're involved in a dispute over a loved one's estate, the process can feel overwhelming. You may be grieving while also facing conflict and unfamiliar legal procedures. These circumstances can affect your ability to focus, rest or make decisions with clarity....

A will is a legal tool that allows for the transfer of assets after one’s death. It can provide the creator with the ability to control their assets even when they are no longer present to do so themselves. A creator can change their will but must do so within the...

Undue influence can be a major cause of estate litigation. It essentially means that someone else altered the will or estate plan, but they did not do so directly. They did it by manipulating the person who is writing that plan, causing them to alter it in that...

There are numerous scenarios in which people may question the actions of an executor or personal representative. They might make decisions that enrich themselves at the expense of beneficiaries. Other times, they might prove incompetent when managing the assets...

Will contests are one of the most common forms of probate litigation. Family members and beneficiaries of an estate may have questions about the validity of the documents in several different scenarios. Sometimes, their concerns stem from a belief that the testator...

Disputes over inheritance can often tear apart families during already difficult times of grief. You might suspect something went wrong with your loved one's will or trust but struggle to identify exactly what happened. Undue influence occurs when someone tries to...

When a loved one passes away, you assume that you’ll be included in the will. For instance, perhaps it is your parent who has passed away. Over the years, you’ve always assumed that you would inherit certain tangible assets, financial assets and much else. However, as...

The loss of a loved one is a traumatic experience, but the situation can quickly turn even worse if you find out that your loved one’s estate plan isn’t what you thought it was. While this could be for valid reasons, there’s also a chance that undue influence could be...

We recently discussed potential problems with undue influence. This occurs when someone is manipulated into altering their estate plan, and it can sometimes lead to estate litigation. For instance, an elderly person experiencing cognitive decline may be lied to or...