Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in California
Will
A lawyer notified me that the father I had not seen for 58 years had passed away in August 2006 and left some property to me in his will although it was ''convoluted'' in the terms of the lawyer due to recent changes and notes. He had a second family with additional heirs. The lawyer is moving the will through probate. Other than the notification, I have been unable to obtain any additional information from the lawyer including a requested copy of the will. I have the impression that I was contacted only as an opportunity to renounce any inheritance.
Should I be doing something now such as formally demanding a copy of the will through legal channels or petitioning the probate judge/court?
2 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Will
You should definitely find out the court and probate case number for the probate estate. If you are not receiving any response to your inquiries you will want to make sure that your interests are protected and may need to file documents with the probate court. You should consult with a lawyer.
Re: Will
Have you received notice of the probate? You should check the court's file, which will have a copy of the will and the petition for probate, and you can then get an idea of what's going on. You may need to hire an attorney to protect your interests.
Do this quickly, as the time for making a claim against the probate estate is only four months from the time probate is opened.