Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in California
my mom passed away 1 year ago she left the house to my step father who lived in the house until a few months ago he then moved to a retirement home and let his granddaughter live in the house what are my rights should'nt the house belong to me now?
3 Answers from Attorneys
Go to a nearby title company, ask for customer service, and give them the address and ask for a copy of the last deed of record. If the house was just in your moms name you need to file for what are called letters of administration. You should probably hire an attorney at that point, but for now lets check on the title to the house to make sure.
If she left the house to him and the will was properly probated, he owns the house now. You have no rights. If she only left him a life estate or left it to him in trust, or by some other method reserved a remainder interest to you, that may be another matter, but if she just left it to him it's his and passes eventually according to his will or to his family, not you.
I agree with Mr. McCormick.