Probate cases begin with a phone call to our office. You have just suffered the loss of a loved one, and you need to know what to do next. You will have many questions about the process, how long it will take, what about taxes, how will you pay creditors, what will happen to the estate, and what are the costs involved.
At Guest and Gray Law Firm our team of experienced probate, will, trust, and estate attorneys are ready to help. Don Gray, Chief of the Probate Division, has more than 45 years of probate experience. His son, Scott Gray, who is a lifelong resident of Forney and a longtime Kaufman County Attorney, is also part of our probate team. At Guest and Gray Law Firm we have the staff and resources to handle the most challenging and complex probate cases.
Initial probate consultations are always free at Guest and Gray Law Firm. At this meeting your attorney will need to determine if a will exists, get some background information on your family and the estate, and make an initial plan for how to proceed.
You should bring the following documents and information to the initial consultation
Your attorney will review the will and determine if it is valid attested will and if the will is valid, your attorney will make plans for appointment of an Executor or Administrator. If there is not a valid attested will or holographic will, then your attorney will discuss options to preserve and protect the estate while probating the estate intestate.
Our probate team will prepare and file an application to probate the will and appointment an Executor. We will prepare an order admitting the will to probate and appear in court to secure the proper orders to move forward. We will help you deal with creditors of the estate, and send a notice to all known creditors, secured and unsecured. We will file an inventory and appraisal and obtain a court order approving said inventory. We will prepare and file an affidavit to close the estate, and a notice to all beneficiaries.
Your attorney will also explain how this process works in Kaufman County. Many probate cases are heard in County Court at Law No. 2, and our attorneys are familiar with the local rules and procedures for probate cases.
Our probate team is ready to help and have the local experience your case requires. Hiring the right probate attorney can make the difference in your case. Give our probate team the chance to show you how we can help. Call today for a free probate consultation.