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Trust and Estate Litigation - Protect Your Legal Rights!
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Trust and Estate Litigation

We have over 30 years of trust and estate litigation experience. We have the expertise to represent trustees and beneficiaries effectively against complex family dynamics.

Trust and Estate Litigation

Estate disputes are unavoidable. They can also be financially taxing and emotionally distressing. It would help if you had a team of estate dispute litigators who are precise, fast, and equipped with the ability to win for you. Hess-Verdon estate attorneys can handle all types of estate litigations, including:

Blended Family Issues

Matters get complex in trust court when children from a previous marriage have been included in a trust. Dependents may also seek litigation when they feel they are getting less or have been unfairly left out of the estate. Our estate litigation lawyers are ready to help.

Fiduciary disputes

Estate beneficiaries have a right to dispute the conduct of an estate trustee. Most litigations we have handled include trustees not being transparent about the estate or probate process. Conflict arises when beneficiaries feel like the trustee is evasive, dishonest, or acting in their own interests. Estate trustees can consult with us to mitigate the risk of removal.

Power of Attorney Challenges

If they suspect that they were procured through undue influence or the elderly individual didn’t have the ‘right mind’ to sign the documents, beneficiaries can contest Powers of Attorneys.

Hess-Verdon is a dependable team of estate and trust litigators. We can help you with all the above and many other litigation matters relating to inheritance and trust law. Call us at (949) 706-7300 to set your appointment.

More on Trust and Estate Litigation

Quantum Meruit Claims: The debts of deceased people are typically settled through a bequest in their will or trust. If a deceased person failed to include the creditors in their Will or Trust, they could seek repayment from the estate via a debt claim.

Spousal and child support claims: If the deceased had a child or marital support obligation before death, the executor must pay the debt from the trust or will. Possible complications and litigations arise on whether the obligation should continue after death and whether it should include adult children.

Gifts before death: If the deceased gifted property before their death, that effectively lowers the taxable value of their estate. Issues arise when the beneficiaries challenge that gift. The recipient must prove that the deceased did not make the gift under undue influence or as an inheritance advance.

Jointly owned assets: Joint ownerships between business partners are easy to resolve after the death of a co-owner. Most disputes arise in joint ownerships between a parent and an adult child. Many jointly owned bank accounts and tangible assets between a parent and child do not prove the parent’s intention to gift the child after they die. Aggrieved beneficiaries may want those assets back into the estate.

Death before divorce is finalized: Possibly, the deceased disinherited their surviving spouse from the will when they filed for divorce. But then he/she died before the conclusion of the divorce process. Maybe there are minor children involved. In that case, the surviving spouse has a right to contest the trust.

Statutory claims: Surviving spouses and children have a right to contest changes to the trust. If the deceased disinherited them, the aggrieved parties might contest the matter, citing duress, forgery, or fraud.

Delaying distribution to the estate: Beneficiaries have grounds to sue or remove the trustee/executor for taking too long or failing to administer the estate. On the other hand, the trustee/executor can invoke many legal defenses if such complaints are false claims.

Trust Dispute Attorney

Just like estate disputes that arise during or after probate, trust administration and distribution processes have their fair share of challenges. An experienced trust litigation attorney can help with a broad range of trust administration and trust litigation issues.

You will need a trust dispute attorney for:

Trustee defense: Sometimes, trustees fall victim to false accusations of wrongdoing during the trust administration process. Our experienced trust attorneys can help you fight off these claims so you can fulfill your trustee duties.

Breach of duty claims: If you are a beneficiary that firmly believes that the trustee is acting in his or her interests, our trust dispute attorneys can help you bring up a breach of fiduciary suit against them.

Duress: Beneficiaries have legal grounds to claim undue influence when the grantor changes a trust in favor of another person. This can happen when the grantor is still alive or after they have died.

Accounting actions: If you are a trustee, you will need help and supervision regarding accounting to avoid a trustee removal action and fight claims of embezzlement, self-dealing, or fraud.

The Hess-Verdon law firm in California represents trustees, corporate trustees, and beneficiaries embroiled in trust litigation. Our teams will handle all stages of your trust dispute resolution. You can expect hands-on legal support from case review to pre-lawsuit resolution, settlement, lawsuits, and trial.

Trust and Estate Litigators

Why Choose Us

Trust and estate disputes are spontaneous, unexpected, diverse, and dynamic. No family is immune to the earlier discussion of disputes. Family dynamics play a significant role in today’s trust litigation cases. A speedy, fair, and cost-effective resolution requires working with a 30+ year law firm with expertise in trust litigation.

You will need litigators with an unbeatable experience. Trust and estate disputes are high-stakes litigation cases–the lawyers must have a comprehensive understanding of inheritance, fiduciary, and taxation. Hess-Verdon attorneys can help. We have handled thousands of inheritance inheritance disputes in California. We’ve come up against the largest law firms, individuals, and institutions with favorable outcomes.

Although the first approach in these cases should try to get a speedy and fair resolution out of court, there are times when the disputes need experienced litigators. Our Trust litigators will counsel you. We will expertly advocate and relentlessly push for your rights in court.

As your counsel and litigator, Hess-Verdon has the expertise to take on any trust/estate dispute that may arise. Whether there is a challenge to the trust, will, or breach of fiduciary claims, our lawyers are eager to help you achieve the desired results in court.

Our team of estate and trust dispute litigators will guide you through all the legal complexities for your case’s successful resolution. We are courtroom lawyers. We are first and foremost skilled in fighting for you in front of a judge or jury in the courtroom.

That said, we are problem solvers. If there are possibilities to settle the matters out of court, we will explore them for you. Our goal is to help clients save time, save money and get the best resolution for all trust/ estate issues.

Newport Beach Estate Attorneys Near Me

Hess-Verdon is in Newport Beach. We have 30 years’ experience in estate planning law. We have helped many clients protect their estate, grow their estate, and pass it down to their loved ones through various legal instruments.

Our estate lawyers can help you administer or contest a trust or will. We also have expertise in business law and elder abuse law. Expect personalized services that put you in control. Contact us today at 888-318-4430

Meet Our Team

What An Executor Of An Estate Can And Cannot Do

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Trust & Probate Litigation AttorneyCall Us At 949-706-7300

Trust Litigation Overview

With over thirty years of experience in successfully handling all types of trust and estate cases, we can rightfully say that we are the best trust litigation attorneys in Orange County. Here at Hess-Verdon &Associates, we are known for our aggressive legal representation, which has helped us obtain our clients’ best outcomes. Our experienced and knowledgeable staff works hard to enforce the rights of a trustee. Let us make your job a bit easier.

Contact us today to discuss your trust litigation case. 

Are you looking for a trust attorney in the Newport Beach area? When it comes to the practice of Trust and estates, it can be difficult finding an attorney that’s experienced in Trust And Estate Litigation - What You Should Know!handling your specific issues.

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With over 30+ years of law, 3000+ clients throughout our tenure,
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How To Get A Copy Of A Trust Document

How to Get A Copy of A Trust Document

How To Get A Copy of A Trust Document Have you wondered if your trustee is required to issue you a copy of the trust, and do you know what to do if they decline to provide you a copy of the trust? Here's an answer to these and other questions you might have on how to...