Areas of Practice

Probate

 

Probate is a legal process by which a court determines the validity of a will and orders distribution of a decedent's assets. In cases in which there is no will, the court will order distribution of the decedent's assets according to a manner provided by state statute

ESTATE ADMINISTRATION

 

An executor appointed by a state court, or a trustee named in a trust, is responsible for administration of a decedent's estate, that is, his or her assets (property) and for seeing that the wishes of the decedent are carried out as expressed in a will or trust.

ESTATE PLANNING and TRUST PREPARATION

Estate planning is a process by which individuals plan for their care in their later years of life, plan for distribution of their assets and plan for their wishes to be carried out upon their incapacity or death. Typically these plans are expressed in a trust or a will but there is more. Plans need to also be stated, at a minimum, in a Power of Attorney, an Advanced Health Care Directive and an Authorization for Release of HIPPA Protected Medical Information. Trusts are administered privately, outside of the court process. Wills are administrated in courts where they are public information.

 

GUARDIANSHIPS

A guardianship is a legal process of directing that a certain person, the guardian, be a legal caretaker of one who cannot care for them self. Children of minority age (under 18 years of age in Oklahoma) whose parents are absent, individuals with certain mental disabilities and elderly individuals who cannot adequately care for them self are examples of people who need a guardian.