In Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, probate is the process in which a court validates or voids a will.

As part of this process, the Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana probate court will determine the validity of the will, inventory the decedent's assets and debts, and then, finally, distribute the estate according to the will, assuming it is found to be valid.

Wills often name a person as the executor of the estate. If not, the court in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana will name one. This is most often the adult individual who stands to inherit the most money or property from the will.

Because the executor is responsible for actually initiating probate proceedings and seeing them to completion, the person chosen for this role is often the one who stands to inherit the most from the will - giving them an incentive to put in the necessary time and effort.

Duties of the Executor in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana

The executor has many duties concerning the will. First, they have to actually initiate the probate proceedings, which must be finished before the will is effectuated.

Also, it's the executor's job to notify all involved parties that the person who made the will has died. "Interested parties" are generally people who are named in the will, or who would inherit the estate if the decedent had died without a will.

The executor will also have to compile and make available a list of all of the decedent's debts and assets, as well as a list of those who stand to inherit from the decedent.

Furthermore, the executor is required to take the lead in proving the validity of the will, effectively acting as the living embodiment of the decedent's estate. The executor is usually the person who will inherit the most once the will goes through probate, so they have a good reason to put in the work to do this.

How Can A Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana Lawyer Help?

Because this process can be fairly complicated, it is not a bad idea to consult with a good probate lawyer in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, especially if you find yourself as the executor of an estate and don't know how to proceed.