Hampton, VA asked in Probate for South Carolina

Q: My father and his sister are both on the Deed to the home he lives in. She passed away how can he get deed, no will.

She didn't have a will and he wants it solely in his name, does he need to go through probate court and get a lawyer? Or is this something he can do himself. only surviving daughter isn't wanting the property

Related Topics:
1 Lawyer Answer

A: He may not need to do anything. It depends on how they held title. If the Deed provides that dad and sister owned the property as "joint tenants with right of survivorship", then he became the sole owner by law when she died. There would be nothing to probate and no need to change title. If the words "joint tenants with right of survivorship" do not appear on the deed, he will most likely have to have his sister's estate administered through probate to pass the title to her interest in the property to her heirs. You should have a lawyer look at the deed to confirm this.

Once your dad is the sole owner, the next question is: what will happen to the property when he dies? He needs to make a plan.

Contact an experienced probate lawyer in your state to review the deed and give you and your father specific legal advice on your situation. Many offer free initial consultations.

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.