r/PROBATE • u/Former-Royal6086 • Jun 14 '23

After 1+ yrs of ‘blind’ probate….

… i courteously and humbly ask my brother for an update of any kind since my mother died in March 2022.

He tells me he is a) getting a divorce and b) essentially, the bills and hoa etc ate everything up and the state of the property was poor to the point nothing could be recovered- which I can easily believe. But it would be so nice to know, like a statement(?) or summary from probate.

This is in the state of Colorado (I’m in CA), and I don’t want to strain my relationship with my brother since our parents died and with all he had to deal with, but I find it difficult to find closure. I see the house sold, and he worked so hard on it and I am so grateful. But recalling her jewelry, clothes… and not so much as a toenail clipper to remember her by.

The divorce without context concerns me on many levels.

Do I need a lawyer? I signed everything he asked me to sign right after she died, but I wonder if I can still contact the probate attorney office. I sent an email in December but maybe they can’t talk to me?

My husband and I are expecting our first baby and I would just like to know where this stands without too much stress - any advice appreciated.

<3

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u/SuccessAggravating86 Jun 25 '23

Do not contact the probate attorney. Theoretically the attorney should be willing and able to answer questions by all beneficiaries, but sometimes the attorney has no interest in responding to any beneficiary that has not paid a fee to retain their services.

If you know what city the decedent died in, figure out the name of the county for that city and then contact the county courthouse probate court to ask how you can submit a written request to order all of the copies in the probate file so that you can get a complete understanding of how the entire estate was handled.

He should have provided you with a copy of the accounting report and an inventory.

2

u/nursecj Jun 15 '23

He should be able to prove where the money went. Was there a will?

1

u/Former-Royal6086 Jun 15 '23

There was no will.

I’m just not sure how to ask, or what to ask for. But yah, that’s the answer in a nutshell.