This is going to require a lawyer- You can't handle this yourself. There are lots of complex legal issues here- the statute of limitations ( time deadlines) the type of alimony originally awarded ( divorce law) Evidence issues ( about the oral agreement and the "dead's man... View More

A will, once a person has died, CANNOT be changed- think about it, once you're dead, there's no doing anything. However, the wording you described sounds confusing, and this sometimes happens; the deceased is not clear about what he/she wanted done. In those cases, the judge sometimes has... View More

Power of attorney, no matter how broad, does not give one the right to commit fraud. The power of attorney grants a fiduciary duty to the holder. Consult counsel if you think something is awry.

The statute of limitations on a will contest is 2 years, but creditors of an estate have only 1 year to file claims against an estate. You do not say whether there has been an administration of your grandmother's estate, but if you are going to contest anything, you will be bound by the... View More

Your question is unclear- by "policy" I assume you mean a life insurance policy. If he did not name a specific individual as the beneficiary of this policy, then most likely the death benefits would be paid to his estate. You've said he had no will and was not married, so under... View More

Some banks, most likely the smaller one, might be alert enough to notice a customer's passing due an obituary in the local newspaper, but it seems much more likely to me that the only notice your family would get would be a bill for the monthly or annual rent for the box. If an estate is... View More

The general rule is that any "fiduciary" ( a person in a position of trust, one who handles someone's money) should be bonded; in other words, there should be some insurance obtained to protect the owners in the event the fiduciary turns out to be dishonest and steals some of the... View More

I suspect you won't find a form for this- its unusual and fact specific. Look for "termination of trust." A trust is a written document, so you ought to get a copy of it and read it carefully- it may contain specific terms which describe under what circumstances it can be terminated.... View More

It sounds like you may not be a beneficiary under the will. If you were then you would have been contacted by the attorney or your sister to let you know that you are a beneficiary and what share you would receive. If he said that you need to a subpoena the will in order to see it, then you should... View More

You might run afoul of rules or laws against the unauthorized practice of law.

Please Take Notice: I am not your lawyer unless we enter into an engagement agreement in writing. This is only general information. It is NOT legal advice, and it may not work for your specific situation. It is... View More

It depends on what your lease says. Most leases have a provision for how to notify a landlord when there is a problem. Most leases also state that you may not withhold rent. Read through the lease or bring it to a qualified attorney. Good luck!

I suppose the property might be purchased from her.

Because the step father died without a will, the property will go to his next of kin. Generally, step children are not the next of kin as they are not blood related to the step father. If the mother had a will or died with out a will and her estate never went through the probate process, the... View More

Your Will cannot be changed once you die. She can change her will after your death, so if you leave everything to her you should have an experienced estate planning attorney draft the documents.

The short answer is no, they are not required to live in Tennessee. When choosing someone to be the Executor of your estate it is often easier for them to perform that duty if they live near you. However, with the mobility in today's society sometimes family members are spread out and the... View More

The laws for the validity of a will are different in every state. Although Maryland does not accept holographic wills, Tennessee may, under certain conditions. If you think the will is fraudulent or invalid you should hire a Tennessee attorney that knows the laws in this state. They can work... View More

Are you discussing presumptions for simultaneous death? Wills can include a provision that states one spouse must survive for 30 days in order to inherit from the other spouse. If there is a similar clause in a contested estate, you will need an attorney to look at it and see if it is valid under... View More

This is a tricky question. Are you talking about her clothing or things like furnishings you bought together in the home? A good attorney with experience in wills will be able to wlak you through your rights and help you if you want to be appointed as the administrator of her estate.

The court needs to determine whether or not everyone named in the will has received their share before the estate can be closed. This is normally done by collecting signed statements from the heirs. If you think there is a compelling reason to refuse to sign you should consult an attorney to... View More

When our firm prepares a will for the client it has our information with it. We are also the witnesses of the will and it is notarized by our paralegal. We do keep a copy of the will, but the original needs to be probated unless there are some extreme circumstances. If the original cannot be... View More