Hollywood Contested Will Attorney

When an individual writes his or her last will and testament, often shortened to “will”, he or she writes his or her plans for the distribution of his or her assets after his or her death. A will guides the probate process, which is the actual process of distributing the individual’s assets to his or her beneficiaries. In order for a will to be used to guide the probate process, it must be deemed to be valid. Otherwise, it is as if the individual died without a will, otherwise known as dying intestate.

Sometimes, wills are forged or otherwise created without an individual’s complete consent. If you are a named beneficiary and you feel that your loved one’s will is not valid, you have the right to challenge the will. Speak with an experienced Hollywood contested will attorney about contesting a loved one’s will to ensure that his or her assets are distributed according to his or her wishes.

Why Would a Will be Contested?

Although a will does not have to be notarized to be valid in Florida, notarizing a will is a way to ensure its validity. In Florida, all a will needs to be valid is to be signed in the presence of two witnesses who also must sign the will attesting to its validity.

If it appears that one or more of the signatures on a will are fraudulent, the will may be contested. Other reasons to contest a will include:

• If you feel your loved one signed the will due to threat, coercion, or undue influence from another party, particularly a beneficiary named in the will;
• If you think your loved one was not in a healthy state of mind to create a will;
• If the will was signed by an individual under the age of 18; and
• If there are multiple wills attributed to the same individual.

If you are Facing a Contested Will

Speak with an experienced probate lawyer right away to investigate the will. He or she can investigate your claim to determine whether it has merit, such as a claim that your loved one was not of sound mind to create a will or determining which will, if presented with multiple wills, was created most recently and thus, the valid document. A will can be deemed to be partially or completely invalid. In the latter case, the deceased’s assets are distributed according to Florida’s intestacy laws.

Work with an Experienced Hollywood Will Contest Litigation Attorney

When a will is contested, conflicts can arise between family members and potentially create rifts that take years to resolve. Sometimes, these rifts are never repaired. If you are involved in a dispute related to your loved one’s will, work with an experienced will contest litigation attorney instead of attempting to handle the issue on your own. Contact The Law Offices of Steven A. Mason, P.A. today to set up your initial consultation with Mr. Mason and determine the best way to proceed with your case.