Probate question

My father died in Ithaca, NY in April 2010. My sister and I have heard nothing of a will, I live in Michigan. His surviving spouse died yesterday. Do we have any legal right to the estate? Or will his step children receive everything?

jsmithmi said:

My father died in Ithaca, NY in April 2010. My sister and I have heard nothing of a will, I live in Michigan. His surviving spouse died yesterday. Do we have any legal right to the estate? Or will his step children receive everything?

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all of that will be based on how he owned anything, if there was a will, and if anybody actually probates your fathers estate. So, the first step would be to investigate if there was actually anything in his estate to attempt to determine if it would even be worth to open probate. Then, somebody would have to open probate on his estate. If there was no will, his possessions not jointly owned with his wife would be distributed per the laws of intestate succession.