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North Dakota Probate Questions & Answers
1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for North Dakota on
Q: Life insurance beneficiary question.

Mother-in-law passed away this April. Father-in-law passed away in 2018. They had only two sons, my husband and his brother. MIL law was in a nursing home for the last two years. She had nothing but her investments, which have already been distributed. Found a life insurance policy for $10,000.... View More

James L. Arrasmith
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answered on Jun 10, 2024

Given the situation, it sounds like you need to handle the portion of the life insurance intended for your deceased father-in-law. Since he passed away in 2018 and there is no estate due to your mother-in-law being in a nursing home, an estate affidavit might not be the appropriate form for this... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning and Probate for North Dakota on
Q: Hi! My mom passed away in 2022 and she left everything to me in will. It has been probated and filed in the court. All o

Some how my sister’s name appears on the property. My mom didn’t know about it

Anthony M. Avery
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answered on May 31, 2024

If a decedent does not own a property at his death, then it does not go to his heirs or devisees. Search the title and see if Mother owned the property. If Mom owned it, then eject the occupant. Your lawyer should have told you what the assets were when you did the inventory.

1 Answer | Asked in Bankruptcy, Divorce and Probate for North Dakota on
Q: In North Dakota, is there a statute of limitations to collect on a mortgage?

Thirty years ago, as part of our divorce settlement, my ex husband signed a mortgage against our farmland to pay me $30,000 over ten years. In return I signed a QCD. He never made the payments and after three years filed for bankruptcy. The bankruptcy court upheld my mortgage and set up a... View More

Lucas Wynne
Lucas Wynne
answered on Mar 15, 2023

Likely but you better move fast. Call an attorney who does estates.

1 Answer | Asked in Probate for North Dakota on
Q: Can my po keep me in Inpatient treatment as long as they see fit without giving me an actual release date?
Anthony M. Avery
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answered on Nov 8, 2021

This is Probate, not probation. Post your question under Criminal Law in ND.

1 Answer | Asked in Probate for North Dakota on
Q: My grandmother passed away. Looking over her will with my uncles, she had stated that I receive $25,000. Never got it?

My grandmother passed away in 2014. Before her passing, my uncles and I had seen her will. In it, she stated that all living grandchildren receive $25,000.00. I remember my uncle was upset cause all he was gonna get(which is sad) was the keepsakes. Like grandpa's violin and security safes. I... View More

Steven J. Fromm
Steven J. Fromm
answered on Nov 19, 2020

You are very late in raising these issues. There are statutes of limitation rules that require parties to timely object to an estate administration. You should talk to an estates lawyer in the county where your grandmother died to go over all the details to see if something can be now. Also, if... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Real Estate Law and Probate for North Dakota on
Q: Warranty deed is lost without being recorded with the County. Grantor is now deceased.

My mother did a Contract for Deed on her house with my nephew. The house was paid for in 2014. The lawyer sent out the original deed to my mom's Personal Representative to get recorded. No one recalls ever receiving the original copy nor can anyone find it now. I have a copy of the signed... View More

Nina Whitehurst
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answered on Jan 21, 2020

The usual solution is the nephew needs to make a claim in your mother's probate case for distribution of your mother's share of the house to him. He will need to prove that there was a contract and it is now paid in full. It would be helpful to at least get a photocopy of the deed from... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Probate and Estate Planning for North Dakota on
Q: My dad just recently died. I'm fourteen and my step mother is keeping all my dad's stuff. What do I do?

She said I could pick stuff I wanted out of his stuff

James W. Martens
James W. Martens
answered on May 8, 2018

Presuming your dad died without a will and both of his parents are also deceased, your stepmother would be entitled to the first $150,000, plus half of any balance (i.e., anything remaining above the initial $150,000) of his estate. Not knowing more about the valuations of his property at the time... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Collections and Probate for North Dakota on
Q: If a family member dies what happens to their debt

An insurance company is asking a settlement amount for a family member who is on their deathbed. If the settlement isn’t paid they will be sued for the full amount. If they die what happens to that debt?

Lucas Wynne
Lucas Wynne
answered on May 5, 2018

They may make a claim against the estate.

2 Answers | Asked in Probate for North Dakota on
Q: Hi I inherited some land in Williams North Dakota for my father who passed away 2010 my stepmother and my four other Orc

We were each to get 50% stepmother kids 50% us kids get the other when should I start receiving my percentage of the oil wells

Lucas Wynne
Lucas Wynne
answered on Jan 9, 2018

Unfortunately, this is a difficult question to answer because I am unsure if the land has any mineral rights, if oil is being produced from the land, the status of the inheritance, etc. I would speak with a local attorney.

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2 Answers | Asked in Probate for North Dakota on
Q: My father died 25 years ago without a will. I need to probate his estate now. Are newspaper notices still needed?

This has to do with mineral rights he owned. In 2010, we filed a Death and Heirship document to establish heirs for royalty payments.

Lucas Wynne
Lucas Wynne
answered on Dec 20, 2017

No attorney can provide advice on this topic without speaking with you directly because more information would be needed.

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1 Answer | Asked in Probate for North Dakota on
Q: Does having a will instead of going through probate make a difference in your estate taxes?
Kenneth V Zichi
Kenneth V Zichi
answered on Feb 10, 2017

short answer: no

(And don't believe the 'one trick ponies who try to scare people about probate!)

Longer answer, a will does not avoid 'going through probate'. But sometimes you WANT to

have your estate go through probate!

If "avoiding...
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1 Answer | Asked in Estate Planning, Civil Litigation, Collections and Probate for North Dakota on
Q: Dad died 15 months ago in ND and step mom died this month. no children together. Next of kin is? Her mom is alive but 90

They had no children together but married over 20 years. Step moms mother is alive but is 90 and lives in nursing home (possibly mentally incompetent) . She has no birth or legally adopted children and no will or trust. Who is her next of next of kin?. Since its going to probate could i contest and... View More

Jim Ed "Jed" Franklin
Jim Ed "Jed" Franklin
answered on Feb 6, 2017

Your question is missing some important information, feel free to contact me via email so I can better answer it. But generally, you should have some interest in your father's estate, though it sounds like there is not much in it. If so, then the "spousal share" may eat up all of... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Probate for North Dakota on
Q: My mom and dad owned farm land and my dad passed away August 4, 2015. During my dad's probate we had the land appraised.

The appraisal was completed September 9, 2016 and my mom passed away Sept. 15, 2016. Do I need the land appraised again for my mom's probate?

Jim Ed "Jed" Franklin
Jim Ed "Jed" Franklin
answered on Feb 6, 2017

The obligation of the personal representative of the estate is to determine the fair market value. There is no state requirement for an appraisal. I think that you can feel free to use the appraised value on September 9 to determine fair market value on September 15.

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