You can trust that she will bring all her knowledge and experience in probate and trust litigation matters to bear on your case. She will never propose actions that are not necessary, and will always recommend what is best for you and your family. Susan Geffen has earned a reputation in Santa Monica as a compassionate and professional California trust litigation attorney. She knows many negotiation strategies that can be beneficial to resolve your case before being forced into litigation and a court resolution. This often results in a much more advantageous outcome than leaving matters up to the probate court. Geffen is a skilled and experienced negotiator who can sometimes work to resolve a contested probate matter through mediation and arbitration. Probate Disputes and Trust Litigation in Santa Monica Other probate matters can often have shorter time limits. While it is always better to register any official complaint to the court before probate is opened, interested parties have 120 days to petition the court to review its ruling on a will or trust’s validity. Charities serving as trustee or being named as beneficiariesĬalifornia probate law establishes time limitations for pursuing legal actions to dispute probate matters.Claims of lack of capacity and undue influence and elder abuse in formulating the will.Determination of beneficiaries and legal heirs.Judicial construction and modification of language in wills and trusts.
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Disputes relating to business interests owned by trusts.Disputes about trust administration, including distribution and accounting issues.An unexpected exclusion from being a named beneficiary (disinheritance).Some of the most common disputes that arise during probate can include:
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These are complex legal matters that require an experienced and skilled contested trusts lawyer like Susan Geffen.
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How the will is administered can also cause disputes, especially if some feel their rights or claims are being overlooked. The validity of the will and certain trusts may be contested for any number of reasons. Because this is often a complex process, disputes and difficulties can arise between the parties involved. Probate is the legal process of closing out a person’s final affairs, and it can involve paying debts and distributing assets from the person’s estate to named beneficiaries, as well as other sensitive matters. Contact her office today for a confidential consultation about your probate issues. Susan Geffen has over 30 years of experience in probate and trust litigation matters, and she can be a formidable advocate to represent your interests in Santa Monica. This is when you need sound legal advice and experienced representation by a trust litigation attorney. When disagreements arise during probate, loved ones or other parties can quickly become adversarial, and the discussions can be spirited.