The average person understandably doesn’t know very much about probate court or estate administration. Many people live multiple decades of their lives without any direct exposure to probate proceedings. It might only be when a parent or spouse dies that someone needs to learn about Nevada’s probate laws.
Some people try to handle estate administration on their own, despite a lack of familiarity with this area of law. Others concerned about their rights after someone dies may try to educate themselves, often with mixed or even unfavorable results. Proper legal representation can make all the difference.
If you have an interest in a Nevada estate, when should you consider hiring a probate attorney?
When you have to administer an estate
There are so many different requirements related to estate administration that it is easy for someone to make mistakes or oversights. Some people will also let their emotions or pre-existing relationships with beneficiaries influence how they handle estate resources unless they have outside input during the process. Those who have accepted the role of executor or personal representative of an estate in Nevada will often need to hire a lawyer to protect them and ensure that they properly fulfill their obligations. In most cases, the estate itself will pay for that legal representation.
When you have concerns about misconduct or document issues
Sometimes, one of the likely beneficiaries of an estate will worry about the validity of the documents. They may believe that someone made changes when they lacked the cognitive capacity to do so. They could have questions about whether there was fraud or if a third party may have influenced the testator to change their documents. Other times, a prospective beneficiary may believe that the documents are accurate but might worry that the person serving as the representative has embezzled or proven incompetent.
Those who believe they may need to initiate litigation or who worry about protecting their inheritance rights may also want to hire attorneys to review the case and possibly represent them during litigation. Essentially, anyone who may need to handle an important matter in the Nevada probate courts would likely benefit from retaining a lawyer during that process.
Seeking thoughtful legal guidance can help people understand and make use of their rights under Nevada probate law at any time.