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How do I get a copy of my grandmother's will?

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Curious Grand

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? CA
My Grandmother died in FL. At a young age my brother and I had revocable trust funds established by my grandmother. They were exercised (right term?) several years before she perished. Her death took quite some time and she suffered from Alzheimer's long before her death. Upon her death my family members notified me that I did not receive anything in the will. It did not occur to me until recently that there might be suspicious goings on until I spoke to my step-grandfather(the man married to my grandmother when she died). He occasionally sends me money, which I appreciate but find strange since we are not blood related. He's a kind man and fair though and something he mentioned to me seemed strange. It seems neither I nor my brother are mentioned at all in the will, but the will had been altered shortly before my grandmother's death. The will now included my mother (this was my father's mother), my aunt's husband (whom my grandmother disliked and considered a deadbeat), and my aunt's lesbian life partner. I find this distressing because we were all forced to pretend that they were "friends" in life for the sake of my grandmother's vanity despite my aunt's 20+ year relationship with the woman. She is not related by blood to any of theses people and indeed had passing, if obligatory, relationships to both. My grandmother had always been admant about her esate staying in the family. I had assumed this was so and that the money had simply stayed in my father's generation. However, now it seems a portion of the money will be going a seperate way when my aunt's life partner and uncle pass on. This is the first person close to me to pass on and I was not aware of what a messy business dispensation of inheritance can be. Its quite possible the will was altered when my grandmother was already suffering from dementia. It has been over 2 years since my grandmother passed away and I believe the estate has been completely settled, but it would be nice to know the particulars of exactly what happened. After all, I'd rather not sit and smile with these people at Christmas if they could've cheated my brother and I out of something that was rightfully ours. Any help you can offer on how I might be able to find a copy of my grandmother's will, and even more importanly her original will, I would apppreciate.
 


Dandy Don

Senior Member
If you know the city where she died, any librarian or mayor's office can tell you where to find the county courthouse probate court for that Florida city. Contact the courthouse and ask for copies of the probate file to be mailed to you.

Problem is that she may have put all assets into the trust, but possibly there was also a will and a trust, and from what you posted here there probably IS a will. You are being sent monies because he feels guilty about having cheated you already, but unfortunately these donations are probably all you will get or are entitled to.

You may have waited too long to do anything about this--you should have checked with a Florida probate attorney as soon as you had suspicions. Now the statute of limitations may have expired--you will need to consult with a Florida probate attorney to find out your options now. If she signed the will during a time period when she had been officially diagnosed as having Alzheimer's, then the will is invalid and should have been contested to be thrown out. Yes, some suspicious actions indeed have occurred here.

DANDY DON IN OKLAHOMA ([email protected])
 

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