Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Maryland

Will is missing

My grandmother, who lived with my father recently passed away. My brother knows there was a will that included the grandkids but my father says he can't find it (he didn't even tell us she died - we found out from the nursing home 3 months later after lots of research to find where our father put her). My father and us grandkids are the only family of hers left. From what we understand, it is a large estate. Is there a way to find if there was a will and if there was not, do we have any claim to the estate?


Asked on 7/07/09, 1:37 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys

Robert Roemer Robert Roemer

Re: Will is missing

You can check with the Clerk of the County in which your grandmother died just to make sure a new will was not drafted and probated.

Generally, in Florida you can bring a proceeding to compel someone into Court to determine if they are in possession of a will.

If you wish to discuss this, feel free to contact me by e-mail with your telephone number and good time to call you.

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Answered on 7/08/09, 5:29 pm
Richard Abraham Abraham & Bauer, LLC

Re: Will is missing

Contact the Court in the county where she died. (In Maryland the Register of Wills has the information if an estate was opened. That will be in the county where she lived).

Remember that assets that are co-owned or that name a beneficiary normally do not come into probate. So if all assets had these ownership features there may not be an estate

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Answered on 7/07/09, 1:49 pm


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