Texas Estate Administration Attorney
When a person passes away, his or her estate must go through probate. Probate is the process by which your loved one's outstanding debts are paid and remaining assets are distributed to beneficiaries. At the Vern D. Richards Law Office in Frisco, I represent family members, trustees, administrators and others in a variety of probate matters.
Dependent and Independent Administration
In Texas, the probate process can happen in one of two ways; dependent administration or independent administration. With dependent administration, every action taken by the estate administrator must be approved by the probate judge. This can be an extremely time consuming and expensive way to do things, because your attorney will need to submit every item to the judge for approval.
Independent administration does not need to be overseen by a judge. Independent administration can be initiated either by the decedent's will or by agreement of all family members. The Texas courts encourage independent administration, because the process is typically much more efficient. I can help you through the entire process, from filing the initial reports with the court through the completion of probate.
Litigation Services
In some cases, a family member may have concerns about the validity of a will or trust due to undue influence over, or the mental capacity of, the decedent. In other cases, there may be concerns over the behavior of a trustee. in these instances, it is important to have strong representation to ensure that the best interests of all beneficiaries are protected.
I represent clients on all sides of these issues. I am a skilled litigator, and I fight aggressively to see that my clients receive fair treatment under the law. I handle contested wills and trusts as well as fiduciary misconduct matters. Whether you are a family member who feels that the will was unfair to you, need help removing a bad fiduciary or need help defending a will or trust, I am ready to help you.
Call for a Free Consultation
Contact my office today to discuss your questions with a lawyer. I am available during regular business hours and by appointment evenings and weekends. You can reach me by phone at 972-335-2963 or via e-mail.
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