Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in New Jersey

Re: Rights of Heirs

Is the immediate family member a named beneficiary in the will? Has the will been filed? Has the will been admitted to probate? These are the questions you must answer. If the family member is a beneficiary and the will has been admitted to probate, the beneficiary should be notified and served papers as part of the probate process because she/he is an interested party. She can check with the clerk of court in the county of the deceased to determine the answer to these questions or call the attorney.

Re: Rights of Heirs

The best approach is by having the beneficiary write a letter to the attorney to find out the status of the estate.

Re: Rights of Heirs

YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED BY NOW. CALL THE ATTORNEYS OFFICE TO GET AN UPDATE. IF YOU CANNOT GET THE ATTORNEY, CALL THE CLERK'S OFFICE IN THE COUNTY WHERE THE PERSON PASSED AWAY, ASK FOR THE PROBATE DIVISION AND SEE IF AN ESTATE HAS BEEN FILED.

Re: Rights of Heirs

You say that someone was appointed as executor. Are you sure of this? If so, then the heir should have received "Notice of Probate" within 60 days of the date of Probate, and is entitled by law to be provided with a copy of the Will.

As a beneficiary, I would be worried if I had not heard anything four months after decedent's death. I think it might be helpful to have a New Jersey attorney look into the status of the estate administration before this goes too much further.