Los Angeles County Attorney Protecting Clients in Probate Law and Trust Litigation
At John M. Gantus & Associates, we represent the interests of families in California probate law disputes. Our Glendale law office helps trustees, executors, administrators, children, and other heirs who have concerns regarding the validity of a will or the administration of a trust.
For more than 30 years, Attorney John Gantus has provided an effective voice for clients in probate court. If you need to contest a will or trust, or challenge the administration of an estate or trust, call our law office at 818-956-1451 or contact us online to schedule a consultation with an experienced probate lawyer.
Will Contests and Probate Litigation
When a family member has concerns about the validity of a will or the administration of an estate, a challenge can be filed under California probate law. Some of these claims amount to bickering among heirs and greedy struggles to increase the amount of their inheritance. But there are occasions when heirs attempt to execute improperly drafted or revised wills and other estate documents.
At John M. Gantus & Associates, we represent families in probate court when questions arise over the validity of the will or whether the estate is being properly administered in probate:
- Last-minute changes to the will, which often bring up questions of undue influence by a beneficiary
- Allegations that the person writing the will didn't fully understand what they were doing because of Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or other serious illness
- Defects in signing or witnessing of the will, which can invalidate the will
- Questions about whether the will presented to the probate court is actually the final will
- Executor misconduct, mismanagement or breach of fiduciary duty (failure to act in the best interests of the beneficiaries of the will)
- Disputes over family business succession plans
Trust Contests
If beneficiaries to a trust become concerned that it is defective or that the trustee is managing or administering the trust improperly, they may bring a trust contest under California probate law. These challenges can be brought for a number of reasons:
- Last-minute changes to the trust, which often bring up questions of undue influence by a beneficiary
- Allegations that the person writing the trust or any amendment to the trust didn't fully understand what they were doing because of Alzheimer's disease, dementia, or other serious illness
- Defects in signing or witnessing of the trust or any amendment to the trust, which can invalidate the trust
- Failure to abide by the terms of the trust
- Improper administration, such as claiming excessive expenses or payments, failing to file any necessary taxes, improper record keeping, or lack of communication
- Financial mismanagement of trust assets
- Trustee misconduct or fraud
Our office represents both beneficiaries and trustees in bringing contests, as well as executors and trustees who are required to defend such contests.
Contact Us Today
If you are concerned about the validity of a will, another estate document, or a business succession plan, or if you are involved in a dispute over the administration of a trust, contact us today. Glendale probate law attorney John Gantus is experienced in resolving these disputes.
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