Family violence tears through households without regard to legal formalities. A grandmother faces exploitation by her own daughter. The granddaughter seeks to protect her. But there’s a complication: the daughter gave up the granddaughter for adoption decades ago, and her parental rights were terminated. Does that termination destroy the granddaughter’s legal standing to seek a...KEEP READING

The phone rings. The caller refuses to identify themselves. They claim your parents’ will was forged and promise they have proof. Most people would dismiss such a call as a cruel prank. But what happens when those anonymous allegations turn out to be true, and the proof comes in the form of boxes filled with...KEEP READING

Last minute estate plan changes often result in disputes. These disputes often involve situations where a elderly and newly widowed parent remarries or finds a new romantic partner quickly after their spouse’s death. There are often questions by the adult children about whether the new spouse or partner gained influence over the parents’ finances, particularly...KEEP READING

When a loved one dies due to someone else’s negligence, family members often find themselves navigating two parallel legal worlds: wrongful death claims that belong to individual family members and survival claims that belong to the deceased person’s estate. The litigation is often prosecuted by a personal injury law firm. They may or not may...KEEP READING

Family relationships can fray after someone dies. Money and property have a way of bringing out the worst in people. Sometimes the conflict escalates beyond angry words at the funeral or tense meetings with the lawyer. What happens when the person named as executor in the will has committed violence against another family member who...KEEP READING

Probate disputes can tear families apart. Siblings who grew up together suddenly find themselves on opposite sides of a courtroom. They fight over their parents’ estates for years. The emotional and financial toll can spiral out of control. Many families turn to mediation to resolve probate disputes. They hammer out settlement agreements intending to resolve...KEEP READING

Those who possess a will for a decedent often just file the will for probate, with little thought to others who may want or even be entitled to notice. For example, a son might file paperwork to probate his father’s will and gets himself appointed as the executor. Months later, the decedent’s other children might...KEEP READING

A family member signs over her home to a grandchild. Weeks later, she’s declared legally incapacitated. The family questions whether she truly understood what she was doing when she signed. But here’s the challenge: nobody performed a mental evaluation on the exact day she signed the deed. Does that mean the deed stands? This scenario...KEEP READING

Family property disputes often take an unexpected turn when siblings inherit land together. One sibling decides to sell their share to an outside buyer. The remaining family members watch helplessly as a stranger becomes their new co-owner in property that has been in the family for generations. The situation becomes even more complicated when the...KEEP READING

When someone dies owing you money secured by real property, you face important choices about how to collect. You hold a lien on the property itself. But what if the property doesn’t sell for enough to cover the full debt plus all accrued interest, late fees, and attorney’s fees? Can you pursue the estate for...KEEP READING