Contested Wills in Indianapolis, Indiana

Find the right Contested Wills attorney in Indianapolis, IN

In Indianapolis, Indiana there are specific procedures authorizing certain people to challenge the validity of a will. This is identified as a "will contest" or "contested will."

Sometimes, when a person who expected to be included in a will is left out, their natural assumption is that there was some mistake, or that the will was made through improper means, such as duress or fraud, or that the will is an outright forgery.

If a considerable amount of money or property is being given away, the person left out of the will could reasonably conclude that the cost and time of a court challenge is worth it.

Like any legal matter, however, this should not be taken lightly. Will contests can foster conflict and strife within families who are already mourning a loved one. This can cause severe and irreversible damage to family relationships.

When Can a Will be Contested in Indianapolis, Indiana?

There are various reasons that a court in Indianapolis, Indiana might invalidate a will.

One big reason to invalidate a will is the fact that the will was made under duress. "Duress" simply means forcing somebody to do something they don't want to, using some kind of threat. Typically, the threat involves some type of physical harm. The most obvious example would involve putting a gun to somebody's head and telling them to write a will containing the terms desired by the gunman. Such a will, assuming the underlying facts can be proven in court, will never be valid. Of course, the validity of a will rarely becomes an issue until the testator has died, which may be years after the will was drafted. This means that proving the circumstances under which the will was made can often be very difficult. However, there are certain facts, such as the devise being to an "unnatural" beneficiary (somebody the testator didn't know very well, for instance), and the beneficiary being in a position of power over the decedent, are enough to at least create a suspicion that something is wrong.

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 severely intoxicated, the will is likely to be held invalid by a court, if the underlying facts can be proven.

There are many other facts that might make a will invalid, and thus serve as grounds to contest a will. If a will is successfully contested in Indianapolis, Indiana, and held to be invalid, this typically 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 Indianapolis, Indiana Contested Will Attorney Help?

Because this can involve complicated legal issues, and be very emotionally draining, this is not something you want to go at alone. A knowledgeable lawyer in Indianapolis, Indiana can be very helpful in making sure that this process goes as smoothly as possible.

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

Life in Indianapolis

Indianapolis is a wonderful place filled with many family attractions. Families have an ample selection of sights to see while visiting Indianapolis.

For starters, families can enjoy wonderful trips to the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Hall of Fame Museum, and the Indianapolis Zoo. For families to relax and have some fun there is the Central Canal filled with gondola rides, pedal boating, and the like. There is also the Oldfields-Lilly House and Gardens, Victory Field, Fort Harrison State Park, and White River State Park.

Indianapolis is also filled with many small to mid-size firms that are home to enthusiastic attorneys who put their clients' needs above their own. Thus, Indianapolis residents are blessed with a family-friendly atmosphere and a capable legal force to handle any and every need.

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