Contested Wills in Boca Raton, Florida

Find the right Contested Wills attorney in Boca Raton, FL

In Boca Raton, Florida, there is a process through which a person can challenge the validity of a will. This is known as a "contested will" or "will contest."

Occasionally, testators leave out of their wills people who might naturally expect to inherit a significant portion of the testator's estate (spouses and children, for instance). This might lead them to assume, truthfully or not, that the will was some kind of mistake.

If the decedent was fairly well-off, their will might involve a great deal of money or property. This is one of the general reasons, besides a general sense of exclusion, that a family member might expend the great deal of time and money necessary to contest a will.

Bringing legal action against anyone, let alone a family member, is not a decision that you should rush into. Contesting a will, particularly if another family member stands to lose out if you are successful in the contest, can permanently alter or even destroy family relationships. Evidently, this is something to consider.

When Can a Will be Contested in Boca Raton, Florida?

A court in Boca Raton, Florida will not entertain a will contest unless there is a very good reason to do so. But, there are some allegations which, if shown, clearly invalidate a will.

For instance, a will obtained through duress (a threat of harm, usually physical) is invalid. Of course, duress is very difficult to prove after the fact, and the issue may not even come up until many years after it allegedly occurred, making proof even more difficult. Nonetheless, if the named beneficiary was in some type of position of power or trust with respect to the decedent, and is not someone who one would normally expect to get a large gift in a will (they're unrelated to the testator, for example), those facts alone might be enough to raise the suspicion of impropriety. Of course, those facts by themselves are not enough to prove duress.

Another thing to consider is the mental capacity of the person making the will. If, at the time the will was made, the testator was insane or heavily intoxicated, the will is likely to be held invalid by a court, if the underlying facts can be shown.

There are many other facts that might make a will invalid, and therefore serve as grounds to contest a will. If a will is effectively contested in Boca Raton, Florida, and held to be invalid, this usually results in the property being distributed as if the decedent had died intestate (without a will). This means that it will usually go to the decedent's closest living relative.

Can a Boca Raton, Florida Contested Will Attorney Help?

Contesting a will can be a complicated, emotional, expensive, and time-consuming process. There is really no way around this. However, a reputable Boca Raton, Florida wills and estates attorney can minimize these problems, and make the process as painless as possible.

Talk to a Wills, Trusts & Estates Law Attorney now!

Life in Boca Raton

Boca Raton is located in the popular area of Palm Beach County, Florida. Approximately 200,00 people call Boca Raton home. Surrounding popular areas include West Palm Beach and Pompano Beach. What makes Boca Raton so wonderful to live in is the geography. It is seen as one of the best places to live in South Florida, because it is very metropolitan, a favorite of young, single professionals, and filled with high rises and beautiful living with water views.

Top employers in the area include The Continental Group, IBM, National Council on Compensation Insurance, Boca Raton Resort, Florida Atlantic University, and the city itself. Many top tier law firms are located around Boca Raton. Small to mid size law firms also have offices in or near Boca Raton. All in all, alongside the many industries listed as top employers, the legal industry also havea strong presence and significantly serves residents of Boca Raton.

Some famous residents of Boca Raton include Jeff Gordon, Keith Byars, Jon Bon Jovi, Ernst Borgnine, Jeanne Bice, Paul Newman, and Pete Rose.

All in all, Boca Raton is a paradise of a place to live in!

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