In La Crescent, Minnesota, probate is the procedure in which a court validates or voids a will.

As part of this procedure, the court in La Crescent, Minnesota has several important responsibilities. Most notably, it has to decide if the will is valid, and consider evidence that it is not (if any such evidence exists). The probate court then has to guarantee that the property is distributed in an orderly manner, as close to the terms of the will (assuming it is valid) as possible.

The executor of the estate is commonly named in the will. If not, the probate court in La Crescent, Minnesota will name will appoint a person to serve as executor. This is usually the person who stands to inherit the most under the will.

Because the executor is responsible for actually initiating probate proceedings and seeing them to finalization, 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 La Crescent, Minnesota

The executor has several duties with respect to the will. First, it is his or her job to actually initiate probate proceedings, which often must be done before the will is given effect.

Furthermore, the executor has to make sure that the decedent's relatives and other people named in the will have notice of the testator's death, usually through the filing of a copy of the official death certificate.

Because people who stand to inherit from the testator may be scattered around the country, or even the world, contacting them is sometimes challenging. One of the responsibilities of the executor is to compile a list of everyone who is entitled to inherit from the decedent, so attempts to contact them can be made. They also have to account for all the testator's debts and assets.

Lastly, executors have to actually put forth the effort to prove that a will is valid. As the sole legal representative of the estate, this is their job, and is obligated for them to inherit, giving them an incentive.

How Can A La Crescent, Minnesota Lawyer Help?

Because of the complexities involved in probate, it would be a reputable idea to consult with and retain a La Crescent, Minnesota attorney who specializes in probate, especially if you are the executor of an estate.