Probate: Wills & Trusts

Probate

After death, your loved ones can open probate to administer your estate. If you loved ones fail to open probate then a creditor can choose to open probate after a specific period of time. During the probate process whereby your debts are paid and your assets are distributed according to the terms of your will a personal representative will be appointed by the court to properly administer your estate. Your will should name the personal representative.

Typically, most estates are administered in an “informal” proceeding. “Formal” administration of an estate are available where there is dispute regarding the dispositive terms or validity of the will.

In any event, many documents must be filed with the court to ensure that all of the estate assets are accounted for and properly distributed and then accounted for once again.

Arizona law requires that a Notice to Creditors be presented to all known creditors and published in a newspaper of general circulation. Creditors must have four months to present a claim against the estate. Therefore, probate proceedings require at least four months before they can be closed. Sometimes, probate proceedings can take years to complete. The cost of conducting probate proceedings ranges based on several factors, which include but are not limited to the complexity of the probate matter, family feuds concerning the intent and language of a will, number of assets involved, etc.

Probate proceedings are filed with the Clerk of the Court, which are listed below. The law firm of Spencer Evans assists clients throughout the state of Arizona to properly probate their loved ones estates. If you would like legal assistance in completing a probate, please contact my office at (623) 505-0565.

                               

Apache County   Sue Hall   Clerk of the Apache County Superior Court   PO Box 365 St. Johns, AZ 85936   Telephone:  (928) 337-7550   Fax: (928) 337-2771	Cochise County   Denise I. Lundin   Clerk of the Cochise County Superior Court   P.O. Box CK   Bisbee, AZ 85603   Telephone: (520) 432-8570   Fax: (520) 432-4850
Coconino County   Deborah Young   Clerk of the Coconino County Superior Court   200 N. San Francisco (Court House)   Flagstaff AZ. 86001   Telephone: (928) 779-6535	Margaret Toot   Clerk of the Gila County Superior Court   Globe Courthouse   1400 E. Ash Street   Globe, AZ 85501   Telephone: (928) 425-3231
Graham County   Darlee Maylen   Clerk of the Graham County Superior Court   800 W. Main St.   Safford, AZ 85546   Telephone: (928) 428-3919	Greenlee County   Clerk   of the Greenlee County Superior Court   P.O. Box 908   Clifton, AZ 85533   Telephone: (928) 865-2072   Fax: (928) 865-4417
La Paz County   Sheri   Newman   Clerk of the La Paz County Superior Court   1316 Kofa Ave.   Parker, Arizona 85344   Telephone: (928) 669-6131	Maricopa County   Clerk of the Maricopa County Probate Court   125 W. Washington   Phoenix, AZ 85003-2243   Telephone: (602) 506-3668
Mohave County   Clerk of the Mohave County Superior Court   401 East Spring Street   P.O. Box 7000   Kingman Arizona 86402-7000   Telephone: (928) 753-0713   Fax: (928) 753-0781	Navajo County   Clerk of the   Navajo County Superior Court   100 East Carter Drive, South Highway 77   Holbrook, AZ 86025   Telephone: (928) 524-4000
Pima County   Patricia A. Noland   Clerk of the Pima County Superior Court   110 West Congress St.   Tucson, Arizona 85701-1317   Telephone: (520) 740-3200   Fax: (520) 798-3531	Pinal County   Kristi Youtsey Ruiz   Clerk of the Pinal County Superior Court   31 N. Pinal Street Bldg E.   Florence, AZ 85232   Telephone: (520) 866-6296   Fax: (520) 866-6252
Santa Cruz County<   Clerk of the Santa Cruz County Superior Court   2150 North Congress Drive   Nogales, AZ 85621   Telephone: (520) 761-7800   Fax: (520) 761-7843	Yavapai County   Jeanne Hicks   Clerk of the Yavapai County Superior Court   120 S Cortez Room 207   Prescott, AZ 86301   Telephone: (928) 771-3312   Fax: (928) 771-3111
Yuma County   Clerk of the Yuma County Superior Court   198 S. Main Street   Yuma, AZ 85364   Telephone: (928) 329-2104   Fax: (928) 329-2001

SPENCER EVANS
ATTORNEY AT LAW, PLC
PLANNING FOR SUCCESSION SM
(623) 505-0565
se@spencerevans.com