If there is a Last Will and Testament involved, the Will in its entirety will be reviewed by the court and its written wishes will be followed if found to be valid. An executor will be appointed as specified in the Will who will be in charge of overseeing the probate process to ensure the estate is appropriately administrated, and assets are distributed to the intended beneficiaries.

If there is no Will involved, the heirs of the deceased person will receive their inheritance according to laws of the state. An administrator will be appointed by the court who will oversee the probate process to ensure the estate is appropriately administered, and assets are distributed to the heirs.

If there is no Will to probate, distribution will be made according to the laws of the state. For example, under California’s laws, if the deceased person did not have any surviving children, parent, brother, sister, or children of a deceased brother or sister, the spouse will inherit 100% of the deceased person’s separate property.

High level overview:

• Filing a Petition and lodging of Will (if one exists)
• Giving notice to beneficiaries
• Court hearing appointment of the personal representative
• Taking inventory of all estate assets
• Determining debts owed and giving notice to creditors
• Paying all legitimate debts and expenses of administration
• Liquidating assets (if necessary)
• Filing accounting and attending the accounting hearing
• Distributing estate assets
• Filing tax returns
• Closing the probate

In California, the entire administration process can take between 9 and 18 months to complete, sometimes longer. However, our firm plans from day one how to make each case proceed as expeditiously as possible, so that beneficiaries and heirs receive their distribution without delay. We do not wait for deadlines, we take action at the earliest possible time to ensure a quick, well thought out and smooth probate process.

• Individuals (family or friends of a deceased person)
• Private professional fiduciaries
• Administrators
• Executors
• Self-represented individuals (In Pro Per)

We focus on assisting our clients navigate the complexities of the probate process, bringing efficient resolution to their case with care, compassion and cost efficiency.

If someone you know died due to the negligence of someone else, we can assist with a wrongful death lawsuit as well as the probate proceeding. Examples of the wrongful death cases we assisted with include NFL traumatic brain injury, construction accidents and other personal injury cases that resulted in death.

At Kennedy Law Group, P.C. the most important part of our business is our clients! We understand the sensitive nature of our probate matters and provide the compassion, dedication and personal attention needed to help our clients throughout the probate process. We are committed to making sure you have top notch stress-free probate representation.