Personal Representative

Oklahoma Personal Representative Lawyer

Did you know that someone must be appointed to close out the affairs and matters of a deceased individual when that person passes away? In most cases people want to name the party who will handle this responsibility and this role is referred to as a personal representative.

What Is a Personal Representative?

The personal representative maintains the responsibility of filing proper paperwork with the court to first get recognized as the personal representative. Many of them hire the services of an experienced Oklahoma personal representative lawyer to be clear about their role and to serve as a resource throughout the administration of probate as questions come up.

The court needs to be able to turn to at least one person and no more than a few people who are responsible for handling estate administration. It’s the reason why most people only assign one executor to their probate estate so that this person becomes the source of all clarity in the process. This can also reduce possible arguments between co executors.

While it is not required to hire an Oklahoma personal representative attorney, many newly appointed executors do take this step to have someone to turn to and to answer some of the more complex legal questions that can arise. If you have never been a personal representative within this state before, or believe that there could be matters in the estate that are contentious, it’s a good idea to try to speak with a personal representative attorney in Oklahoma as soon as possible. This will give you clarity on your expected role and give you a chance to retain the attorney before you start serving in this position.

Most people are not familiar with what it takes to close out probate and even when it is believed that the process will be relatively simple with no conflict, it can come as a surprise when another involved party such as a disgruntled beneficiary or heir who was purposely excluded from the estate does not get what they believed they deserved from that case. In those circumstances, hiring a personal representative lawyer immediately is one of the easiest ways to protect your interests and to potentially defuse conflict from angry beneficiaries or interested parties.

What About if a Dispute Is Already Happening?

As a beneficiary you might witness that another sibling or person has opened a dispute case in your loved one’s estate. If you are the personal representative, this has serious repercussions for your personal liability but can also lead to strained relationships with these other parties. That’s why it can be recommended to hire your own legal representation as soon as possible. The right lawyer can walk you through what to expect and the common pitfalls of a case like this. Do not hesitate to hire a lawyer if you are unsure about a legal question or have concerns about another personal representative’s actions or another beneficiary’s actions. You may be able to resolve these disputes outside of court when you hire a personal representative attorney in Oklahoma right away.

New personal representatives deserve the peace of mind provided by legal counsel. Since these executors are crucial to closing out estates, these roles should be supported by attorneys who know the main issues.