Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Georgia
Additional info for previously asked question...(I need to amend a petition filed in probate court. The court says I need 3 pages (amendment page, signature page, & verification page) to do this. Could someone please explain what each page needs? I understand the amendment page but I'm not sure if I need to sign that page also. I'm not too sure what needs to be on the signature page(just signatures?). What about the verification page? The notary will sign this page but do I need to sign that page also or does the signature page suffice for all 3 pages. I'm not sure why I need 3 pages...the amendment,signature,& verification info. can all fit on 1 page comfortably. Any help/direction would be greatly appreciated.) The only thing that needs to be amended is the complete bank name on the deceased checking/savings accounts and the car vin# of the deceased. 3 pages to make 2 minor changes. What a "mess"!!!!!(he says sarcastically).
2 Answers from Attorneys
Please read the two answers to you about how foolish it is to try to fix something when you don't know how.
When your appendix ruptures do you get a kitchen knife and cut it out, or do you pay a surgeon?
When your car engine blows up and you have never done a car repair, do you buy a heap of parts and build one yourself?
When you have already screwed up a probate, been told by the clerk that you did, and don't understand how to fix it, do you do it yourself, or do you call a lawyer?
You already got two good answers. Let a lawyer take over. If cost is a problem, pay a far smaller amount and have a lawyer fix what you messed up.
From what you have stated - and take this with a very healthy grain of salt as nobody has seen the documents, I would file the amended petition just like you did the first one. Same everything - signatures, 3 pages, the works.
The only difference is that I would put at the top "Amended Petition" and change the paragraphs where you referred to the bank by its it complete name and put in the VIN number and anthing else that needs corrected.
While you may not agree with the court rules, I would follow them and do everything the same. The court is going to hold you to the same rules as an attorney so you should follow them.
However, I have to agree with Attorney Ashman here. You would not do surgery on yourself so why do you think that you can do legal stuff? You already have made one mistake by needi8ng to file an amended document. What other mistakes are you possibly going to make? You are running a huge risk in representing youself. You may or may not be doing things fine. You may or may not be missing out on something and without looking at stuff nobody here can really help.
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