Cortes Law Firm Explains the Process to Be Followed by Lawton Probate Lawyers

Cortes Law Firm, an estate planning law firm based in Oklahoma City, OK, has recently published a new blog post that explains the Lawton probate process. The probate is the legal proceeding that will result in the distribution of the assets of a deceased person to the legal heirs or beneficiaries.

Lawton is a city found in the southwestern part of Oklahoma and about 87 miles southwest of Oklahoma City. This city serves as the county seat for Comanche County and has a dynamic downtown area with a broad range of restaurants, shops, and bars. In general, this city is a suitable destination for couples, families, and even solo travelers.

An executor of the estate is the one given the task to handle all of the assets of the deceased person such as real property, bank accounts, investments, and personal property. The executor will also be in charge of paying any outstanding debts of the deceased, such as credit card balances, home financing payments, car payments, medical bills, and all other outstanding loans. They are also tasked to identify and locate all of the heirs or beneficiaries of the estate, and then distribute the assets according to the wishes of the deceased.

The probate process can be complex and lengthy because the executor has to find out and locate all of the assets of the deceased person, determine the value of each asset, pay any outstanding debts, and then divide the remaining assets and distribute them to the various beneficiaries. This process in Lawton usually takes on the average about six to 10 months.

Steve Cortes, founder of the Cortes Law Firm, says, “The Oklahoma Probate Procedure can be confusing and frustrating for many people. The Cortes Law Firm can help with the process. At the Cortes Law Firm, we are Oklahoma estate attorneys and we believe in your dreams and we will do everything to help them come true. That's why each individual is given personal attention, so that they can feel like the only client at this firm because nobody else matters more than you.”

There are two general types of probate in the state of Oklahoma. These are the summary probate and the regular probate. The summary probate will take less time to complete compared to the regular probate but it is limited only to those cases where the total assets of the deceased are less than $200,000 and there is no real property to sell. It is also important for the heirs or beneficiaries to be in agreement. In the event that there is a conflict between the beneficiaries, the summary probate will have to be converted to a regular probate.

In the summary probate, it is not possible to sell real estate that is owned by the deceased because the legal heirs are not specified at the start of the process. They will only be identified at the last hearing. Thus, there would be no one to sign the real estate deed for transferring the title of the property to the new owner in the summary probate.

The court will typically convert the summary probate to a regular probate if it is not possible for it to proceed. For the regular probate, the probate lawyer will have to first find out if there is a last will or if there is no will at all. The next step will be for the lawyer to draft an initial petition for probate. If the client agrees with how the petition is worded, the firm will file it with the Comanche County Clerk.

Established in 2013 by Attorney Steve Cortes, Cortes Law Firm provides general counsel, estate planning, and probate services clients in Oklahoma City and Lawton, OK. Attorney Steve Cortes has been providing estate planning services for various types of clients for 22+ years. He provides a unique perspective to the value of proper estate planning for entrepreneurs, businesses, and families.

Those who want to get more information about the services provided by a Lawton probate lawyer can check out the Cortes Law Firm website or contact them through the telephone or via email. They are open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, from Monday to Friday.