Grafton, Ohio has a legal process known as "probate." This is when a court decides whether or not a will is lawful, and, accordingly, whether or not to effectuate its provisions.

As part of this procedure, the court in Grafton, Ohio has many important responsibilities. Most importantly, 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 ensure that the property is distributed in an orderly manner, as close to the terms of the will (assuming it is valid) as possible.

Wills normally name the person who is to serve as executor of the estate. If no executor is named, the Grafton, Ohio 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 initiates probate proceedings. The person who stands to inherit the most from the will is normally appointed the executor, because they will have the most reason to help the process go as quickly as possible, so they can get their inheritance.

Duties of the Executor in Grafton, Ohio

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

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

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

Additionally, the executor is obligated to take a leading role in showing the validity of the will. The executor obviously has an incentive to see the process through, since they cannot inherit until probate is complete.

How Can A Grafton, Ohio Lawyer Help?

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