In Donaldsonville, Louisiana, probate is the procedure in which a court validates or voids a will.

As part of this procedure, the Donaldsonville, Louisiana probate court will decide the validity of the will, inventory the decedent's assets and debts, and then, lastly, distribute the estate according to the will, assuming it is deemed to be valid.

Wills often name a person as the executor of the estate. If not, the court in Donaldsonville, Louisiana 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 reason to move the process along as quickly as possible, so they can get their inheritance.

Duties of the Executor in Donaldsonville, Louisiana

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.

They also are obligated to provide notice to the people with a direct interest in the estate that the decedent has died, usually by filing a death certificate.

Executors are also required to make accessible an accounting of the testator's debts and assets, so their affairs can be wound up, along with a list of everybody who is named in the will, or otherwise stands to inherit.

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 usually 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 Donaldsonville, Louisiana Lawyer Help?

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