Probate and Estate Administration

Probate is the court process by which a Will is proved valid or invalid. In Virginia the executor appointed under the Will takes the Will to the Virginia Circuit Court for the city or county where the decedent resided at time of death to be recorded. Probate has also become the name for the process of Estate Administration. Estate Administration generally includes preparation and submission of an inventory of the deceased person’s real and personal property and annual accountings to the Commissioner of Accounts for the city or county jurisdiction where the deceased person lived. It can also include a Debts and Demands Hearing held by the Commissioner of Accounts and a Show Cause Hearing in Circuit Court.

Estate Administration can be time consuming and expensive. Charles Alton advises people on making the estate administration process as simple and short as possible. He also provides guidance on problems that occur in the estate administration process both before and after they arise.

For legal services in estate administration and probate, call Charles Alton at 540-722-4401. We can come visit you, if required, or you can visit us at our convenient location in Winchester, VA.