The Probate Process

After someone dies, the process of probate will ensure that the terms and conditions established in the will of the deceased are followed. This is a legal process that requires retaining the service of a probate attorney to walk you through all of the steps involved in the process.

There are different types of probate, but in general each will follow the same processes which involve a good amount of paperwork and court appearances by a lawyer. The goal of court visits is to prove the validity of the deceased's will. Once this has been established, the person's property will be need to be correctly identified and inventoried (including appraisal) in order to distribute the remains as stipulated in the will. Distribution will not be done until all of the deceased person's debts and taxes have been sufficiently repaid. What is left of the property and assets will then be distributed to the individuals named as beneficiaries.

When choosing the right probate attorney to represent your case it will be important to keep in mind that a part of the probate process is paying the fines of a law firm's services. These fees are deducted from the estate property that would be going to the inheritance of persons identified in the will. Therefore, carefully selecting a lawyer with the right service fees and a record for success will be crucial to your own success when completing the probate process.