Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in New York

Re: Parent's Will

The best way I know of to find out if your father left a will (and you don't know of any lawyer who handled the probate)is to go to the probate court for the county in which your father died. Ask the clerk there if there is any record of a will being probated for your father. Or if there was no will the estate would have gone threough what is called a probate "administration". In any case they will tell you what happened. Likely, however if there was a will you would have been notified as required by law. Call my office at (718) 935-9079 if you need help. -Eric Kochel

Re: Parent's Will

Ask your father's attorney if he knows if there was a will. Also, ask your dad's friends and clergy as well as his bank's trust department. You can also search to determine if his will was filed with the court (in the county where your father lived).

Good luck.

Re: Parent's Will

Wills are not usually registered until after the demise, as wills can be changed. You can check with the Surrogate's office in the counrt of residence of the decedent to see if anything was filed. If not, all you can do is advertise to see if anyone knows of a will.