Westlake Law Group offers clear, client-facing guidance for California families and fiduciaries on estate planning, trusts, probate, conservatorships, and related litigation, with practical explanations of common issues, planning considerations, and process overviews to help readers understand next steps. For help with a specific situation, call Westlake Law Group at (818) 444-2022. 30699 Russell Ranch Road, North Building, Suite 210, Westlake Village, California. Virtual consultations are available throughout Southern California.
Can someone under a California conservatorship still sign a contract? Learn why the answer depends on the court's orders, the type of agreement, and applicable rules governing contractual capacity and property transactions.
Family members may disagree about whether a conservatee should remain at home or move into residential care. Learn how California conservatorship authority, personal preferences, safety considerations, and court supervision affect residential placement decisions.
The death of a sole proprietor can leave an estate responsible for business equipment, receivables, contracts, taxes, and outstanding debts. Learn why business and personal records must be reviewed together during California probate administration.
Refundable security deposits, prepaid memberships, and unused services may represent assets belonging to a California estate. Learn how representatives identify these payments, review contractual rights, and recover appropriate refunds.
When a deceased person owned a boat, the estate may need to address title, registration, insurance, storage fees, and transfer requirements. Learn why California and federal vessel documentation rules can affect probate administration.
A landlord's death creates immediate questions involving rent collection, leases, repairs, tenant rights, and property management. Learn how a California probate estate should address rental property while determining whether to continue operating or sell it.
Refund checks often arrive after someone dies. Learn how California families determine who can collect the payment, when estate or trust authority is needed, and why tax refunds may require additional documentation.
A person's death does not necessarily terminate an existing California lawsuit. Learn how survival of claims, substitution of representatives, litigation deadlines, and evidence preservation affect civil proceedings after a party dies.
When a probate estate receives a settlement offer, the executor or administrator must consider legal authority, litigation risks, beneficiary interests, and possible court approval. Learn why accepting an offer involves more than simply agreeing on an amount.
Funeral costs are frequently incurred before formal probate begins. Learn how California estates evaluate reasonable funeral expenses, who may seek reimbursement, and why the person controlling burial arrangements may not be the estate's executor.
Suspicious transactions performed under a power of attorney may come to light after the principal dies. Learn how financial records, fiduciary duties, estate authority, and potential recovery proceedings affect the investigation of suspected misconduct.
Not every relative or concerned individual can object to a California probate proceeding. Learn how courts evaluate legally recognized interests, why heirs and beneficiaries have different rights, and what standing means when someone wants to challenge an estate decision.
California professional practice owners face succession issues involving licensing, ownership restrictions, confidential records, and business continuity. Learn why an estate plan should coordinate legal documents with professional regulations and an operational transition strategy.
Parents may want an inheritance to remain available for a child's long-term benefit rather than immediately become personally owned property. Learn how continuing trusts, spendthrift provisions, and trustee selection can affect protection from certain creditors and marital disputes.
What happens when an adult beneficiary becomes unable to manage an inheritance? California families should understand the beneficiary's continuing rights, the authority of agents and conservators, and the importance of reviewing trust provisions before distributing property.
Restricted stock and stock options can raise estate-planning questions that ordinary investment accounts do not. Learn why vesting, transfer restrictions, post-death exercise deadlines, and tax consequences should be reviewed before an employee's estate plan is finalized.
A trustee who is also owed money by the trust occupies two potentially conflicting roles. Learn how reimbursement claims, personal loans, supporting documents, and fiduciary duties affect the decision to pay a debt owed to the trustee.
Does an arbitration provision in a California trust require beneficiaries to resolve disputes outside court? Learn why enforceability depends on the parties, the claims involved, and the legal differences between arbitration agreements and trust instruments.
Not every California trust dispute requires a trial. Settlement negotiations, mediation, and judicial settlement conferences may help beneficiaries and trustees resolve disagreements, provided the financial information, affected parties, and terms of agreement are carefully evaluated.
When a California trust owns an operating business, a successor trustee may inherit urgent responsibilities involving employees, payroll, contracts, and management decisions. Understanding the distinction between business ownership and operational authority is an important first step.
A successor trustee may discover an unpaid loan that belongs to the trust. Learn how promissory notes, family loans, repayment disputes, and beneficiary obligations should be evaluated before the trustee attempts collection or makes distributions.
A POLST and an advance health care directive serve different purposes and can work together. Learn why medical orders, appointment of a decision-maker, current treatment preferences, and accessible copies should be coordinated as a person’s health circumstances change.
Money held for a child in a blocked account may require court approval before withdrawal. Learn why the original order, proposed expense, supporting records, and release procedure should be reviewed before a parent commits to using the funds.
A conservatorship does not by itself decide whether someone can marry. Learn how California treats marriage capacity separately, when a court determination may be requested, and why specific facts matter more than general concerns about a relationship.
A conservatorship appointment does not automatically remove the right to vote. Learn why the court’s specific findings, reasonable accommodations, registration status, and any restoration process should be reviewed before assuming a person cannot participate.
