Legal Question in Banking Law in Arizona

My mother recently died. I am the only person on her bank account w/ her. My siblings are threatening to sue me. She had no will, trust, etc. Can they sue me?

My grandmother legally adopted me when I was born from my mother (her daughter). My mom/grandmother and I had a joint bank account (it is now individual since she has passed away last month). My aunts/uncles (her children) are threatening to sue me for her money. She had no will, trust, etc. Amount she had was 35K. With burial expenses and bills it is now 19K. Are they able to sue me even though it was joint w/ rights of survivorship?


Asked on 5/04/12, 4:49 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Joyce Johnson-Stovall Johnson Stovall and Associates PLLC

It depends on how the bank account was set up. If the bank account was a joint account and one person passes away, the survivor is the owner of the balance. Anyone can sue... the question is will they collect? The court will make that decision based upon the evidence you have. Without looking at the banking documents it is hard to answer the question... some banking account have a "POD" which means "person on death"... other accounts are joint accounts with rights of survivorship meaning that the survivor takes all...

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Answered on 5/04/12, 9:38 pm


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