In Villa Park, California, probate is the process through which a Court determines if a will is valid or not.

As part of this process, the Villa Park, California 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 normally name the person who is to serve as executor of the estate. If no executor is named, the Villa Park, California court will appoint an executor. This is normally the person who stands to gain the most if the will is found to be valid.

The executor is the person who has to get the ball rolling on the probate process, and essentially serves as a living symbol of the decedent's estate. It is their job to defend the estate from debtors (if a legitimate defense for the debt exists, of course), and wind up any legal proceedings that the decedent might have been immersed in. If an executor needs to be appointed, a court normally chooses the person who will inherit the most if the will is given effect, since that person will have the most inducement to carry out the duties of the executor.

Duties of the Executor in Villa Park, California

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

The executor also has to give those with a direct interest in the will notice that the decedent has died, by filing an official death certificate.

There may be several people who are entitled to take under a testator's will, with which the testator may have fallout out of touch years ago. This can make them hard to find, but they need to be found, nonetheless. To that end, the executor is obligated to make a list of everyone who might be able to inherit, whether they're named in the will, or closely related to the testator. Additionally, they have to make known all of the decedent's major assets and debts.

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

How Can A Villa Park, California Lawyer Help?

Because of the intricacies inherent in the probate process, it is a good idea to hire an accomplished Villa Park, California probate lawyer, particularly for the executors of estates.