Gainesville Will Challenges and Probate Disputes Attorney

Probate Litigation Attorney in Gainesville Serving Clients Throughout Florida

Harrison Estate Law, P.A., offers years of experience representing clients in the Florida probate courts. From beneficiary determinations to complicated will challenges, we provide our clients with a compassionate approach and no-nonsense litigation style. Our probate litigation attorneys won’t overcomplicate matters with unnecessary drama or emotion. Instead, we focus on providing you with a front-to-back understanding of the legal issues that apply to your family, and your case.

Based in Gainesville, Florida, we offer probate litigation attorney services to our neighbors in the surrounding communities, as well as to clients elsewhere in Florida. We offer consultations by phone or video conference, as well as in person. If you are looking for a law firm that can handle all your family’s estate planning and probate needs in and out of court, contact Harrison Estate Law for a complimentary consultation about how our experienced team can help you.

What to Do When You Receive a Notice of Administration

Many forms of probate litigation start when you or a loved one of the deceased receives a Notice of Administration. This is a legal notice alerting all interested parties that an estate has been opened and the deceased’s assets will soon be distributed. If you receive a notice of administration you have an opportunity to assert certain rights in probate court, but you have to act quickly. In some cases, you may have as little as 20 days to respond to a notice and start a probate litigation case.

Who Can File Probate Litigation?

You don’t have to be a person’s next of kin to start a probate case. Probate litigation can involve anyone who has a potential interest in the deceased’s estate, including the deceased’s:

  • Surviving spouse
  • Friends or family members anticipating an inheritance
  • Personal representative
  • Beneficiaries to a person’s will or trust

Once probate litigation is filed, it can involve everyone named in the deceased’s will or trust, as well as their natural heirs. Most often, probate disputes center on how the deceased’s probate estate will be divided, so each person with an interest has a right to receive a notice and participate in the case. This makes probate litigation very complicated, as each party’s interests must be considered in any settlement or resolution. At Harrison Estate Law, P.A., we know how to navigate family relationships and conflicting probate interests to advocate for a resolution that honors the deceased’s wishes and serves our clients’ needs.

Common Types of Probate Litigation

The Florida Probate Court addresses a variety of probate litigation cases. Our probate litigation attorneys can help you with many issues, including the following:

  • Will Contests: Challenging the language or validity of a Will in a probate estate.
  • Determination of Heirs: Identifying and establishing the family ties of heirs, including the paternity or maternity of unacknowledged children, to allow them to inherit under Florida intestate succession law.
  • Elective Share Litigation: Determining a surviving spouse’s share of the elective estate.
  • Prenuptial Agreement Enforcement: Applying valid premarital agreements to the deceased’s estate.
  • Accounting Challenges: Contesting the asset valuations, transactions, and proposed distributions in a deceased’s estate.
  • Tortious Interference with Expected Inheritance: Suing a wrongful actor who obstructed an intended beneficiary’s right to inherit property.
  • Breach of Fiduciary Duties: Suing a personal representative or trustee for improper administration of the estate or trust.
  • Removal of a personal representative for failure to fulfill their duties to the deceased’s estate.

Contact Our Gainesville Attorneys for a Complimentary Consultation

Harrison Estate Law is happy to help you respond to a Formal Notice or a Notice of Administration or start probate litigation to help defend your loved one’s wishes, and your family’s needs. Please contact us online or via email or call 352-559-9828 to schedule a free consultation. If you don’t live close to Gainesville, our probate litigation attorneys are happy to set up a phone or Zoom call. We have extended evening and weekend appointments available by request.