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Disputes And Resolutions: Exploring Estate Litigation In The Legal System
Last Updated on: November 14th, 2024
After the death, the decedent’s estate is divided among the beneficiaries. This is the general law of estate everywhere. However, in some cases, the decedent may have left the will where they planned for the distribution process earlier. In this way, they might have included the distribution planning uniquely, including friends and other special members except for the family at their wish.
This is where several questions arise regarding the will that was made earlier.
Apart from that, there are some cases where there is no will or estate plan in place. In such situations, according to state law, the assets are distributed among the family members.
Prioritizing spouses, children, and parents, including siblings, the law helps distribute the estate.
Estate planning is the best way to deal with estate disputes. Knowing the estate litigations can help you find estate disputes and also resolutions.
However, whether an estate plan is available or not, estate disputes may occur in any situation. Well, considering the plan in action for estate disputes, the distribution works, or broad terms.
While dealing with estate planning, these broader terms help lure challenges in making decisions. Well, the estate litigation forms with the case of an interested party.
This estate litigation may influence the legal process beyond what was expected before. An estate dispute may try to consider and validate that an estate planning made is outdated, incorrect, or invalid.
When Estate Disputes Arise?
There can be several reasons for the rise of estate disputes. However, it is important to understand when someone can go for an estate dispute.
Here our main focus is to understand the disputes and the resolutions of estates as well. When there is a legal system, it is a no-brainer to understand that there are solutions to every dispute. Confining the disputes and understanding the solutions is not as easy as you think.
By far, the law is critical, and we have to maintain a thorough process to go to the solution. So, first, try to understand when an estate dispute arises.
Well, whether there are a proper will or other estate plans available or not present, you will always be able to challenge the decision of a court. However, not everyone can do that; only interested parties can do that.
What Is The Motif?
Well, the main motif of the interested party can be to be the beneficiary. If no legal document is available to outline the estate plan, then the process of a dispute case becomes easier to file. However, that does not make the case any easier, but often in an unexplained estate plan, there are more than one interested people who are willing to get access to assets.
Well, to bring in the case of a dispute, you must have a standing or justified ground to challenge the will. Your standing may mean your financial interest in the estate distribution process. However, your right to challenge depends on your profile, if you are fitting or not, and also on the arrangements.
- Children/ adopted children/step-children.
- If the decedent wished someone else to get benefits.
- Creditors with the claim against the estate.
These are the people who have a strong standing to put an estate dispute case.
Grounds For Dispute With Estate Litigation
Fighting for your inheritance is most often cumbersome without professional help. So, it is always better to go for a trust and estate litigation attorney. Their professional expertise will help you to build a strong dispute case.
However, it is important to understand the grounds of estate disputes. With this knowledge, you will be able to qualify and challenge the probate.
Well, whether there is a will in place or not, the dispute case will always be there with a forming opportunity. So, it’s time to strengthen your ground by finding the faults in a will.
Lack Of Testamentary Capacity
Testamentary is the ability or capacity of someone to challenge a valid will. This is only with the help of strong ground from your end. From your ground, you may claim that the deceased person was not in the position to create a strong will for the distribution process.
This is where you are trying to show the faults of the will. You can also claim that the decedent was not in a position to understand the value of the will or property or the distribution process.
Due Execution
You can also follow the instigation of a lawsuit to represent your estate dispute case. This is where you will not be dealing with the assets and the distributions but with the creation of the will.
You may simply claim based on the missing signature or lack of witnesses during the creation of the will. This is definitely a strong ground for dispute.
Undue Influence
This is where you can claim that the creator of the will was manipulated while making the will. In this case, your claim mainly was to showcase that the creator was not in his or her best interest while creating the will.
A third-party influence might encourage a will creation, and that can be your ground to file the dispute case.
Solving Property Disputes Through Alternative Dispute Resolution
Dispute resolution is the most critical process in this estate planning and litigation part. Whether challenging the estate administration or challenging the will, solving the case with dispute resolution can be the hardened part.
Well, you can take the help of your lawyer to go for Alternative dispute resolution (ADR). With this process, you will be able to resolve the case without the resources of the court.
This is a major process to make decisions on mutual ground with the help of third parties who are involved in the case. You can also see arbitration as a formal type of ADR. Depending on a qualified arbitrator, you can push your case to be solved as quickly as possible while the final decision is made by the arbitrator.