That all depends on what you mean by “probate.” In California, in fact in the entire United States, we operate under the so-called American system of litigation fees; meaning each party pays their own fees regardless of who wins the case. But there are a few exceptions. For example, if you have a contract that […]
Contesting wills and trusts can be difficult because each document operates under a different set of rules. And each document has a different statute of limitations for contesting it. Timeline for California Will Contests You really cannot contest a California Will until someone offers the Will to be admitted into probate. Under California law, a Will […]
What Happens If You Die Without A Will? That depends on how you hold title to your assets. If you die and everything you own is in your sole name, then the assets must pass through probate to be transferred to your next of kin. When you die without a Will, you are said to […]
It can be nearly impossible to help a parent plan his or her estate when dementia exists. The problem with dementia is that is qualifies as the type of mental defect that could cause the person to lack the necessary capacity to create a Trust or Will. The first issue is whether your parent still […]
Yes, provided that relative has standing to sue. Any family member (or past beneficiary) who has been excluded from your Trust or Will can fight for inclusion after you die. But to do so they first must have standing. To have standing means they are an heir or prior beneficiary of yours and they have […]
You need a partnership agreement, limited liability agreement, or shareholder’s agreement depending on the type of business entity you have. If you have a general partnership, or a limited partnership, there should be a partnership agreement that governs your business entity. The partnership agreement contains many provisions that help govern the business while you are […]
That will depend on two major factors: (1) what type of legal entity is the business (i.e., partnership, corporation, limited liability company, etc.), and (2) how did your spouse hold title to the business interest? The type of business entity. Business transactions between partners can be messy because they oftentimes are not well documented. A […]
Who has the right to challenge a Will, or a Trust for that matter? To challenge a Will or a Trust in California, the person filing the Trust or Will contest lawsuit must have legal standing to do so. The concept of standing has evolved from centuries of jurisprudence, first in England and then adopted […]
The answer is maybe, but you’re going to face an uphill battle. Unfortunately, the law does not give you an automatic right to receive a parent’s assets. The step-parent problem may be one of the most difficult, and least understood, issues in Trust and Will law. And it can play out in many different ways […]
The short answer is no. If you are named as the only heir to your parent’s estate, then you win—and all the excluded children lose. You do not owe them anything. Or at least, that is how it should work…in theory. But many cases are not that easy because the excluded children often do not […]
