Probate Estate Administration - The court-supervised process for identifying and gathering a decedent’s assets, paying taxes, creditor claims and expenses, and distributing assets to the decedent’s heirs at law.  An estate administration will occur when a person dies intestate or without a Last Will and Testament.  In that case, a person must petition the probate court to be appointed the personal representative or administrator of the estate.  After the administrator is appointed, the estate can be fully administered and the assets can be distributed to the heirs at law. Probate - The court-supervised process for identifying and gathering a decedent’s assets, paying taxes, creditor claims and expenses, and distributing assets to the decedent’s beneficiaries.  Probate will occur when a person dies testate or with a Last Will and Testament.  In that case, the personal representative or executor named in the Last Will and Testament must petition the court to probate the Will.  Once the Will is admitted to probate and the executor is appointed by court, the estate can be fully administered and the assets can be distributed to the named beneficiaries. Unfortunately, the administration and probate processes can often be confusing, difficult, time consuming and expensive.  This is made even more difficult because of the grief surrounding the loss of a loved one.  Our experience and expertise handling estates and probate enables us to simplify the probate process for you and your loved ones.  Avoid unnecessary mistakes and costly delays, contact us today if you or a loved one need legal assistance with an estate or probate matter. Guardianships - The legal process in which the rights and property of minors or adult persons declared incompetent to manage their own affairs are exercised by another adult.  The circumstances that lead to the establishment of a guardianship are often difficult and stressful.  If you or a loved one are currently involved in a situation that may require the establishment of a guardianship, please call us to learn how we can assist you.  Even if you do not have a current guardianship need, it is important to know that with the proper planning, we can also help you avoid the prospect of a future guardianship proceeding entirely. Fiduciary Law and Litigation - The word fiduciary means “a person to whom property or power is entrusted for the benefit of another.”  As a fiduciary, a person has a legal duty, obligation, and responsibility to manage another person’s property consistent with the applicable laws in the particular state.  If a fiduciary fails to do so, heirs, beneficiaries, creditors of an estate, or other interested parties can pursue legal actions against the fiduciary.  This is one reason why it is important that a fiduciary has experienced legal representation so that unnecessary mistakes and errors can be avoided.  If you have recently been appointed a personal representative and have questions or if you have served as a personal representative for a period of time and now have a proceeding filed against you, contact us today so that we can assist you.