Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in California

I am sorry for your loss. You might start by obtaining a copy of your father's death certificate. If you know what county he died in, you should be able to get this copy by filling out the required form and paying the fee. The death certificate will have a lot of information for you, including the cause of your father's death. You might also check with the Probate court in the county where your father resided at the time of his death. If there was a Probate filed, there would be a record of that filing. Also, even where there was no Probate filed, if your father had a will, it should have been lodged or deposited with the Probate court.

The problem you might have is that your father's estate, if any, could already have been distributed since he passed away several years ago. However, if you were the beneficiary of his insurance policy, it's possible that you may still be entitled to the proceeds from that policy. You might also contact your father's union to find out who administers their insurance policies.

As far as an attorney, you should consult with a Probate and estates lawyer. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to email me at [email protected] or [email protected].