Cherry Hill Probate Attorney

Probate Lawyer Serving Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Surrounding Communities

Probate is the legal process of transferring a person's property to their beneficiaries after their death. It is a court-supervised procedure that is designed to protect all the parties involved. In probate, the property is collected, debts paid, and the property is distributed. A probate attorney is needed to prepare the necessary documents required in a probate and to provide legal counsel to the executor or personal representative who is handling the estate. If you need a lawyer for a probate anywhere in or around Cherry Hill, please contact the Cherry Hill probate lawyer at the Law Offices of Tejal V. Patel. As a knowledgeable estate planning attorney, she is well-versed in the many legal facets of probate.

The Probate Process

In the probate process, the decedent's will is submitted to the probate court to be validated. If the decedent died without a will, then his or estate will generally be distributed to surviving family members or heirs, according to state law. The person named as the executor in the will has the responsibility of settling the estate. If the decedent did not name an executor, the court will designate one. The executor will see that the will is validated, if there is one, collect all the property of the decedent, including all income, dividends, and other assets, pay all claims, debts, and taxes levied against the estate, settle any disputes connected with the estate, and distribute the remaining property to the heirs. The bigger and more complex the estate is, the longer and more time-consuming the probate may be.

Having a knowledgeable attorney in your corner during a probate is important. Since this process can be a complex and involved one, your Cherry Hill probate attorney can provide the guidance you need as well as prepare all the legal documentation required. For further information about the probate process and how Cherry Hill probate attorney Tejal V. Patel can assist you, it is critical that you consult with her as soon as possible.