Can You Sue a Dead Person? No, you legally cannot sue a dead person. However, you can file a lawsuit and/or creditor claim against their estate to request compensation from the deceased's assets.
Probate in California Without a Will — How It Works If they hadn't, it's likely a formal probate will be required. If a formal probate is required, the court will proceed to appoint an administrator to oversee the decedent's intestate estate.
Can An Executor Sell Estate Property Without Getting Approval From All Beneficiaries? The executor can sell property without getting all of the beneficiaries to approve. However, notice will be sent to all the beneficiaries so that they know of the sale but they don't have to approve of the sale.
Once notified that the decedent has died, the executor has 30 days to petition the court for administration of the settlement process. The executor is expected to finish the probate process within 12 months unless certain exceptions apply.
If the estate is valued above $150,000, then a probate must be filed. If probate is necessary, someone must come forward to start the process. If there is a will, the executor named in the will should start the process.
In California, there's no strict deadline for filing probate after death, but it's advisable to begin the process as soon as possible. Delays in filing can lead to complications, such as the estate's assets becoming unmanageable or creditors taking legal action to collect debts.
Without initiating probate, the legal authority to access or transfer the deceased's assets is lacking. This means that bank accounts, real estate, and other valuable assets can't be legally accessed or transferred to beneficiaries.
An executor is also responsible for dealing with the deceased's financial liabilities. This includes dealing with the income tax position of the deceased from the date of death to the end of the administration period, as well as any capital gains tax liability on the disposal of assets.
This is because as a trustee, on behalf of a charity, you enter into contracts in your own name. If the contract is breached you may be held to be personally liable and your own personal assets may be at risk.