Mr. Goodwin is everything you want in an attorney: professional, honest, thorough, and genuinely caring. He always explains things clearly, so I understood exactly what was happening and what to expect next. His attention to detail and persistence really stood out. Looking back, I feel lucky to have found him. He guided me through the whole process expertly, and I deeply appreciate all his hard work. Would definitely recommend him to anyone needing legal help.
If you are looking for a law firm to handle your will contest, look no further than the Law Offices of Albert Goodwin. We have a record of success in both contesting and defending wills. You can send us an email at [email protected] or give us a call at 212-233-1233 to find out more about how we at Goodwin can make our record of winning work for you.
Contest a Will
If you suspect that a will is defective, we can represent you in contesting it. Our fee for this service is based on an hourly basis, at $400 per hour, and we will require a retainer deposit in the amount of $4,000. In the will contest process, we will provide the following services:
- Find out the first hearing date and arrange to appear at the hearing
- Analyze your case and put together an initial strategy
- Review the purported will
- Review the petition for probate
- Review the Citation or Notice of Probate
- Open up a line of communication with the opposing counsel
- Request a copy of the attorney draftsman’s file
- Schedule depositions of the attorney-draftsman and attesting witnesses
- Schedule depositions of the person who is trying to probate the will
- Request copies of medical records from the providers
- Draft objections to the will and file with the court
- Appear at court hearings
- Research case law
- Select a jury
- Conduct settlement discussions
- Conduct trial if necessary
In will contests, our results speak for themselves:
$1 Million Settlement. Successfully obtained a $1 million settlement for our client even though medical records found the will-maker mentally fit
$2 Million Settlement. We used an elective share to go around the will. The executor who is the son of the deceased from the first marriage claimed that any money he received from his father is not a part of the estate and that the father’s widow is not entitled to the funds. We utilized the law that any money transferred within a year before death is a part of the augmented estate for the purposes of calculating the elective share, and agreed on a $2 million settlement for the widow.
$840,000 Settlement. The decedent’s daughter was left 12.5% of a $3.5 million estate by her father’s will. Our firm pointed out irregularities in the will and possible issues in the decedent’s capacity to make a will, and negotiated an increase of her share to 37%.
Numerous other settlements with substantial dollar amounts. We have also won numerous other will contest settlements with substantial dollar amounts.
Defend Against a Will Contest
If someone is contesting a will and you as the executor need to defend it, look no further than Goodwin for the best defense. Our record speaks for itself. Our fee is based on an hourly basis, at $400 per hour, and we will require a retainer deposit in the amount of $4,000. In will contest defense, we will provide the following services:
- Draft petition for probate and the required notices, citations, affidavits and certifications
- Appear at hearings
- Handle communication with the objectants’ attorneys
- Defend depositions of attesting witnesses and attorney-draftsman
- Defend discovery request
- Make sure that the information that the objectants obtain stays within the relevance and “3/2” rules
- Conduct settlement discussions if reasonable
- Conduct a trial if necessary
In will contest defense, our results speak for themselves as well.
$500,000 Defense. The client’s husband died while overseas. The client and her husband lived in different states for some time. The deceased husband’s sister challenged the client, saying that she and the husband were estranged and their marriage was no longer valid. After our persuasive advocacy, the sister relented and gave up her challenge, with our client not paying a penny in a settlement.
$700,000 Defense. The client’s brother was left out of the will, brought a will contest. In one of the emails from our client, we noticed something was different in the way she was referring to her brother. We asked more questions, and it turned out that both of them were adopted. Upon further investigation, it turned out that the brother was never formally adopted, and as such, had no standing to contest the will.
Numerous defenses of estates of substantial sizes. We have won numerous will contest defenses in estates of substantial sizes.
Whether you need to contest or defend a will, we at the Law Offices of Albert Goodwin are here for you. You can send us an email at [email protected] or give us a call at 212-233-1233.
About the Author
Albert Goodwin Esq. is a licenced New York attorney with over 17 years of courtroom experience. His extensive knowledge and expertise make him well-qualified to write authoritative articles on a wide range of legal topics. He can be reached at 212-233-1233 or [email protected].
