Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Pennsylvania

You may check with the Register of Wills in the county where he resided, to see if an estate was opened. If it was not, and you know that your father had a will, you may seek to have the Register of Wills issue a citation requiring the production of the will.

If there was no will, you and all children and surviving spouse of your father are entitled to an intestate share of the net estate, after payment of all debts and taxes.

As an heir, you could also seek appointment as personal representative of the estate, but you would be taking on the obligations of administering the estate. Without access to your father's records and documents, this would be a just about impossible obligation.

Check with the Register, that office may tell you what you should file.

If the estrangement and self-righteous indignation are your own, you may need to suck it up and talk to your sister and family. You may be able to work things out.

This response is not legal advice, since I do not have all of the information that would be required, and I do not have a representation agreement with you.

* If the answers to your question confirm that you have a valid issue or worthwhile claim, your next step should almost always be to establish a dialog with a lawyer who can provide specific advice to you. Contact a lawyer in your county or township.

* Another reason for contacting a lawyer is that it is often impossible to give a good answer in the Internet Q&A format without having more information. The unique circumstances of your situation and things that you may not have thought to mention in your question may completely change the answer. If you want to be sure that you have a complete answer to your question and an understanding of what that answer means, establish a connection with a lawyer who practices in the area of your concern.