Q: Next of Kin laws/probate
My aunt was adopted by my biological grandfather before I was even born. We never believed less than blood relation. In her passing, she has family disputing my relationship; "step" is what they're saying. She may have had a will, but that family has taken several documents from her home in Colbert, OK the day she died, 12/10/21. I'm in Washington state and believed to be the next of kin. How long until her estate could go into Probate. Is her home to stay in the family that calls me "step"? If there was a will, that's possibly been destroyed, what can I do?
A: You need to contact an estate/probate attorney as soon as feasible. It may have already been placed into probate or it may not have been. It just depends how aggressive they are and if they have an aggressive attorney. You need someone that can put some time in this since you are out of state. It will probably cost you a little more because let’s face it, things that you could be doing if you were in Oklahoma now the attorney will have to do. Best of luck to you.
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