Stutheit & Gartland specializes in preparing estate plans for families, couples, and individuals at the affordable rates. Our Firm focuses on middle-class clients who need a Will, a Power of Attorney, a living trust, or other legal documents to handle their affairs. We believe the process of establishing a comprehensive plan need not take too much time or money. Your own estate plan will be tailor-made for your needs and wishes, but will not cost you so much that you regret contacting a lawyer.
We also represent clients in probate. Probate is the way that an estate gets settled under the supervision of the court. A person is appointed by the court if there is no Will, or nominated by the deceased person’s Will. Once appointed, this person, called an executor or Personal Representative, has the legal authority to gather the assets owned by the estate, to pay bills and taxes, to transfer real estate, and to distribute the assets to the heirs or beneficiaries.
One purpose of probate is to give the Personal Representative legal authority to do what needs to be done. What might need to be done? Common issues are selling or transferring real estate, handling final income taxes, and dealing with creditors of the deceased. Probate assures that all the relevant people get notice of what is happening and the executors have clear authority, given by the court, to accomplish what must be done. The time and expense of opening probate is often less that people have heard, or fear it will be.
Because Brian Stutheit has been a litigator for many years, he is capable of dealing with probate disputes and comfortable in court. Probate disputes might involve claims by creditors against an estate. Blended or mixed families sometimes fight over who gets what. People disinherited may challenge a Will.
Our probate practice is limited to metro Denver.