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Q: Can I file a small claim in Georgia for unpaid verbal contract?
I am based in Atlanta, Georgia, and I traveled to France to provide 14 days of private international caregiving services. We agreed verbally on a payment of $4,500. I have text messages that confirm this payment agreement and the acknowledgment of the payment due. After I completed the work, the... View More 
David Luther Woodward
answered on Sep 12, 2026
answered on Sep 12, 2026
You can, but I wouldn't recommend. First, you would have to obtain personal service of process on the defendant in his town by a qualified process server. Even if you reduced the claim to judgment, you would then have to domesticate the judgment in France, not an uncomplicated matter because... View More
Q: Do I need to petition for probate to locate or execute my mother's will in California?
I recently learned that my late mother had a will, but I do not possess a physical copy of it. I am her child, and I am trying to determine if I need to petition for probate in California in order to locate or execute her will. There are no known disputes over the will at this time. Can you advise... View More
Julie King
answered on Sep 12, 2026
answered on Sep 12, 2026
If someone passes away and leaves a Will, the original Will (the one physically signed, not a photocopy) must be filed with the Probate Court in the county in which the deceased person lived. [Technically, it's called "lodging the Will".] Relatives can go to the court and ask for a... View More
Q: Do I need to petition for probate to locate or execute my mother's will in California?
I recently learned that my late mother had a will, but I do not possess a physical copy of it. I am her child, and I am trying to determine if I need to petition for probate in California in order to locate or execute her will. There are no known disputes over the will at this time. Can you advise... View More
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Christopher R. Milton
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answered on Sep 14, 2026
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answered on Sep 14, 2026
You don't need to file anything just to locate or read the will.
California law (Probate Code §8200) requires anyone who has custody of a will to lodge it with the superior court clerk in the county where your mother lived within 30 days of learning of her death, and to mail a copy to... View More
Q: Do I need to petition for probate to locate or execute my mother's will in California?
I recently learned that my late mother had a will, but I do not possess a physical copy of it. I am her child, and I am trying to determine if I need to petition for probate in California in order to locate or execute her will. There are no known disputes over the will at this time. Can you advise... View More
Michael Z Amichai
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answered on Sep 18, 2026
Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Sep 18, 2026
Under California Probate Code section 8200, whoever has the original will is required to lodge it with the superior court in the county where your mother lived within 30 days of learning of her death. If it was lodged, you can request a copy from the court's probate clerk. If no one lodged it,... View More
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Q: Should I report suspected insurance fraud in a car accident claim in Missouri?
I'm concerned about a situation involving someone I know who was in a car accident in Missouri. He was hit when someone pulled out and struck the front fender of his vehicle. Despite not being injured, as evidenced by his ability to carry heavy furniture, his lawyer advised him to visit a... View More
Tim Akpinar
answered on Sep 12, 2026
answered on Sep 12, 2026
A Missouri attorney could advise best, but your question remains open for two weeks. Until you are able to speak with a local attorney familiar with various hotlines, no one could reliably know what a given situation is, other than the individual and their treating doctors. There's nothing... View More
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