Sure Am Getting The Run Around

[evelyn]

Hired a lawyer in my hometown but tried to get a lawyer in California, one too expensive and in San Franscisco, not close enough to Fremont, California. Finally found one, he left our family in the lurch, ended up writing and faxing my own letter for an accounting and the step-son's lawyer was to send it and end of December I called this lawyer and gave my fax number and he said he'd either fax it or send it. I think it is a ploy now, as my 120 days to contest is up on January 20th and I think this lawyer is stalling for us to miss the date. My father's share, which is now my mother's, my brother's and mine was deleted in an amendment and my Aunt signed a paper with numbers only which meant us being deleted. We wanted the answer to all the questions in the letter I faxed the step-son's lawyer to make up our minds if we were going to contest the will but this lawyer is representing the step-son and I think the lawyer is stalling. I'll call this lawyer again tomorrow but I'm wondering what to do.

Evelyn

 

[advisor10]

01-12-2001

Your message is missing a few important details.

(1) Where do you live?
(2) Who died, how are they related to you, and what city/state did they die in?

If a lawyer is not giving you a response, is it possible for you or someone in the family to go to his office in person to get a verbal response? If not, then complain to the county bar association (in the county where the lawyer is located) and explain the situation and they may be able to intervene at least enough to get a response.

How valuable will your share of the estate be if you decide to contest it? If it is valuable enough, then you should immediately contact another probate attorney so that he can file whatever paperwork is needed or give you sound advice as to what you NEED TO DO NOW to preserve your rights before the January 20th deadline. Since you have had bad experience with some lawyers, then ask the county bar association for a recommendation, since they usually have dealings with the more reputable ones and would know which ones have an outstanding reputation.

If you don't think there is enough money in the estate to make it worth your while, then you don't need to do anything. It looks as if you may have a somewhat difficult time in proving your case since it appears that your Aunt apparently intended to have the will revised by having some people deleted, but in any case, you certainly do deserve at least the basic decency of a response to your question.

SINCERELY,

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