In Hinesville, Georgia, probate is the process through which a Court decides if a will is valid or not.
As part of the probate procedure, the court in Hinesville, Georgia will decide the validity of the will, inventory the decedent's assets and debts, then, assuming everything is deemed to be in order, distribute the estate according to the will.
Wills commonly name a person as the executor of the estate. If not, the court in Hinesville, Georgia will name one. This is most often the adult individual who stands to inherit the most funds or property from the will.
The executor is the person accountable for initiating the probate proceedings. The person who would inherit the most from the will is appointed, because they have the greatest incitement to move the process along as quickly as possible, so they can get their inheritance.
Duties of the Executor in Hinesville, Georgia
The executor has many duties regarding the will. First, they have to really initiate the probate proceedings, which must be done before the will is effectuated.
They further are obligated to provide notice to the people with a direct interest in the estate that the decedent has died, normally by filing a death certificate.
The executor will also have to gather and make accessible 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.
Because the executor serves as the living personification of the decedent's estate, they are solely accountable for proving the validity of the will. This is a lot of work, but because executors are normally chosen based on how much they stand to inherit from a will once its validity is confirmed, they have a good incentive to see the process to finalization.
How Can A Hinesville, Georgia Lawyer Help?
Because of the intricacies involved in probate, it would be smart to hire a seasoned Hinesville, Georgia probate lawyer, especially if you are the executor of an estate and unsure how to proceed.