Planning for the future in El Granada means putting a clear, legally sound plan in place to protect your assets and provide for loved ones. At the Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman we help residents create revocable living trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and health care directives tailored to local needs. This introduction explains what an estate plan can accomplish, how it reduces uncertainty, and why thoughtful documents drafted with attention to California law matter. We focus on creating durable, individualized plans that reflect your goals, family dynamics, and financial situation while minimizing avoidable legal complications down the road.
An effective estate plan addresses more than distribution of property: it plans for incapacity, guardianship for minor children, and efficient transfer of family assets. We explain the documents commonly used in California, including pour-over wills, certifications of trust, and financial powers of attorney. Our approach emphasizes clarity, regular review, and updating plans when life changes such as marriage, divorce, new children, or retirement occur. For residents of El Granada and surrounding San Mateo County, having a comprehensive plan provides reassurance that wishes are known and legally enforceable while reducing stress for family members during difficult times.
Estate planning supplies legal structure to carry out your wishes and protect what you have worked for. It helps ensure assets pass according to your intentions, reduces the chance of expensive probate, and provides mechanisms for managing health care and financial decisions if you become unable to act. Well-crafted plans can preserve family property, safeguard minor children, and address tax and retirement plan considerations. In El Granada, tailored estate planning takes into account local property issues and California probate law to create practical solutions that help families maintain control and dignity at every stage of life.
The Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman serve San Mateo County and the surrounding Bay Area with a focus on estate planning documents like revocable living trusts, wills, and powers of attorney. Our firm emphasizes clear communication, careful drafting, and personalized attention to each client’s family and financial circumstances. We guide clients through decisions about trusts, health care directives, and trust-related petitions, helping translate goals into documents that meet California legal requirements. Clients benefit from practical strategies designed to reduce future disputes and help families preserve what matters most across generations.
Estate planning in California involves a set of documents and legal processes that together establish control over assets during life and after death. Common elements include revocable living trusts to avoid probate, pour-over wills to catch assets not transferred to a trust, powers of attorney for financial decisions, and advance health care directives for medical decision-making. Each document serves a specific role and working through them helps create a coordinated plan. In choosing and drafting these instruments, homeowners and families in El Granada should consider who will manage affairs, how property will be distributed, and how to minimize legal hurdles for survivors.
A complete estate plan also considers special-purpose trusts and petitions to address unique situations. Instruments such as irrevocable life insurance trusts and special needs trusts protect benefits and income streams, while trust modification petitions and Heggstad petitions may be necessary to correct or validate trust transfers. Guardianship nominations provide direction for minor children, and HIPAA authorizations ensure access to health information when needed. Understanding how these pieces fit together allows families to make informed choices about asset protection, incapacity planning, and legacy goals in a way that aligns with both personal values and California law.
A revocable living trust is a document that holds assets during life, allowing the trustee to manage them and distributing them after death according to the trust terms. A last will and testament expresses final wishes, names an executor, and can nominate guardians for minors, but may require probate. Powers of attorney authorize someone to handle financial affairs if you cannot, and advance health care directives state medical preferences and appoint a health care agent. Together, these documents offer a framework for managing property, making decisions during incapacity, and providing instructions for the transfer of assets to beneficiaries.
An effective estate plan includes identification of assets, selection of fiduciaries such as trustees and agents, and drafting of trust and will provisions that reflect distribution wishes and contingencies. The process often begins with discovery of assets and family concerns, followed by drafting and signing documents, funding a trust by transferring assets into it, and executing powers of attorney and health care directives. Periodic reviews keep the plan aligned with life changes such as marriage, remarriage, births, or changes in financial circumstances. Properly coordinated documents help ensure seamless management and transfer of assets while reducing conflict and uncertainty.
This glossary covers commonly used estate planning terms to help clients understand documents and procedures in California. Definitions clarify the roles of trustees and beneficiaries, explain the differences between wills and trusts, and describe instruments like pour-over wills, certification of trust, and HIPAA authorizations. Familiarity with this terminology makes consultations more productive and helps families make informed choices about asset management, incapacity planning, and posthumous distribution of property. Use these definitions as a starting point for discussing options tailored to your circumstances and to ask focused questions during planning meetings.
A revocable living trust is a document in which the grantor places property under the trust for management and distribution. During life the grantor often serves as trustee and retains control; the trust becomes the primary vehicle to avoid probate and provide a private method for transferring assets. The trust specifies successor trustees and beneficiaries, and it can be amended or revoked while the grantor has capacity. Funding the trust involves transferring titles and accounts into the trust name. For many El Granada families, a revocable trust is the centerpiece of coordinated estate and incapacity planning.
A pour-over will works alongside a trust to ensure any assets not previously retitled into the trust are directed into it upon the creator’s death. It acts as a safety net so that property omitted during funding will ultimately be governed by the terms of the trust. While the pour-over will may still require probate for certain assets, its primary purpose is to funnel residual assets to the trust to achieve the decedent’s overall distribution plan. This instrument is commonly used when a revocable living trust is the primary estate planning vehicle.
A last will and testament sets out instructions for distributing property, naming guardians for minor children, and appointing an executor to carry out final wishes. Unlike a trust, a will generally must go through probate to transfer title to certain assets. Wills remain useful for addressing assets that cannot easily be placed into a trust and for expressing guardianship nominations. For many clients, a pour-over will complements a trust by catching any assets not transferred into the trust during life, ensuring that all property is ultimately distributed according to the overall plan.
An advance health care directive allows you to appoint an agent to make medical decisions, state treatment preferences, and express end-of-life wishes. A HIPAA authorization grants individuals access to medical records and allows health care providers to communicate with designated agents. Together, these documents ensure that medical decision-makers have the legal authority and necessary information to act on your behalf if you cannot. Including these directives in an estate plan helps align health care choices with personal values while relieving family members of uncertainty during critical times.
When considering estate planning, clients often weigh limited-document packages against a comprehensive approach. Limited services may address immediate needs like a will or a simple power of attorney but can leave gaps that surface later, such as improperly titled assets, lack of incapacity planning, or unclear distribution mechanisms. Comprehensive planning typically includes a trust, pour-over will, powers of attorney, and health care directives, along with funding guidance. Deciding between these options depends on family size, asset complexity, and goals for privacy and probate avoidance in California, and discussing scenarios helps determine the most fitting approach.
A limited approach can work well for individuals or couples with straightforward financial situations and minimal assets. For example, those who own few properties, have basic retirement accounts with beneficiary designations in place, and no minor children may find that a will, health care directive, and financial power of attorney meet immediate needs. In such cases, the paperwork is more about ensuring legal authority for decisions and expressing final wishes than coordinating a complex asset transfer strategy. Regular review remains important to update documents as circumstances change.
A targeted plan may be appropriate during transitional phases, such as when someone expects to increase asset complexity later or intends to relocate and revisit planning. For example, a person early in their career or a couple without children might prioritize basic documents to ensure decision-making authority and health care directives while deferring trust planning. This type of plan addresses immediate vulnerabilities without committing to long-term trust funding and management, but it should be revisited periodically as life events like home purchases or family growth occur.
Comprehensive estate planning is often chosen by those who want to avoid probate, preserve family privacy, and ensure a coordinated transfer of assets. Placing assets in a revocable living trust can allow distributions without court supervision, which may reduce delays and public exposure of personal affairs. For families with multiple properties, business interests, or blended family considerations, a trust provides a structured way to manage and distribute assets according to specific terms. This approach can lessen administrative burdens and make post-death transitions smoother for heirs and trustees tasked with management.
A comprehensive plan becomes essential when addressing incapacity planning and more complicated family dynamics. Detailed arrangements for successor trustees, staggered distributions, spendthrift protections, and special needs provisions provide structure when beneficiaries require long-term support or when children from prior relationships are involved. Incapacity instruments such as financial powers of attorney and health care directives coordinate decision-making during illness. In these circumstances, full planning helps avoid disputes and ensures continuity in management and care, reducing stress and uncertainty for family members.
A complete estate plan offers several practical benefits: streamlined asset transfer, instructions for interim management if incapacity occurs, clear designations for guardianship of children, and mechanisms to reduce delays after death. Trusts and related documents can limit the need for court involvement, maintain privacy, and allow for detailed distribution terms. Comprehensive planning also includes coordination of beneficiary designations and retirement accounts to align with the overall strategy. By addressing both life and death contingencies, families gain confidence that their affairs are organized and that decision-makers have the authority to act.
Beyond immediate administrative advantages, comprehensive planning supports long-term goals such as preserving family assets, supporting beneficiaries responsibly, and implementing charitable or legacy plans. Trust structures can protect assets from unnecessary depletion, provide for staged distributions, and honor specific wishes regarding use of funds. Regular review and maintenance of documents ensure the plan adapts to changing laws and personal circumstances. For many clients in El Granada, this thoughtful, long-term approach reduces family conflict and provides a clear path for managing transitions across generations.
One of the main benefits of a comprehensive trust-based plan is privacy. Probate court records are public; by contrast, assets held in a trust can often transfer without public filings, preserving confidentiality for family affairs. Avoiding probate also tends to shorten the time before beneficiaries receive assets and can reduce probate-related expenses. For families owning real property in El Granada or valuable collections, maintaining privacy about ownership transfer and beneficiary identities is an important consideration, and trust-centered planning is a common method to achieve these objectives while still complying with California law.
Comprehensive planning provides continuity through designated fiduciaries who can step in to manage finances and health care if you become unable to act. Financial powers of attorney and successor trustees allow for uninterrupted management of bills, investments, and trust assets, while advance health care directives guide medical decision-making. This continuity helps protect assets from neglect or mismanagement during periods of incapacity and ensures that medical decisions reflect your preferences. Families benefit from reduced disruption and clearer responsibilities for those charged with carrying out your wishes.
Begin estate planning by compiling a comprehensive inventory of your assets, including real estate, retirement accounts, insurance policies, business interests, and digital assets. Include account numbers, contact information, and current beneficiary designations. This inventory helps ensure nothing is overlooked and makes it easier to fund a trust where appropriate. Knowing what you own also helps evaluate whether a simple will suffices or if trust planning is warranted. Regularly updating this list allows your plan to stay current with changing values and new acquisitions, reducing surprises for your family later on.
Estate plans should be reviewed after major life events such as marriage, divorce, births, deaths, or significant changes in assets. Laws and tax rules also evolve, which can affect the most effective approach to planning. Periodic review allows you to update fiduciary appointments, revise distribution provisions, and transfer newly acquired assets into a trust if desired. Staying proactive minimizes the need for costly corrections or trust modification petitions later and preserves the integrity of your plan so it continues to serve your intentions over time.
Residents of El Granada face unique considerations including coastal property ownership, retirement account designations, and multigenerational households that benefit from a formal estate plan. Professional guidance helps translate personal goals into legally effective documents that work within California rules. Planning reduces the burden on loved ones, clarifies who will make decisions during incapacity, and ensures asset distribution aligns with your wishes. Whether you need a trust, a will, or special provisions like a special needs trust or pet trust, thoughtful planning helps families address real-world concerns and avoid common pitfalls.
Estate planning also addresses practical concerns such as avoiding unnecessary court involvement, coordinating beneficiary designations with trust documents, and preparing for potential disputes among heirs. For those with family members who require ongoing care or who want to leave a legacy or charitable bequests, tailored documents provide a reliable roadmap. Taking steps now can prevent delays and added expense later, and it gives you confidence that your affairs are arranged so family members can focus on personal matters rather than legal complexities during difficult times.
Estate planning becomes especially important in circumstances such as caring for minor children, managing a blended family, protecting a disabled beneficiary, owning real estate, or operating a small business. Other triggers include changes in health, retirement planning, and significant asset acquisitions. Planning helps specify guardianship, control the timing of inheritances, and protect public benefits for those with special needs. By addressing these common situations in advance, families reduce the risk of uncertainty and disputes and ensure that legal documents provide clear guidance for fiduciaries and loved ones.
Parents with young children benefit from naming guardians in their will and establishing trusts to manage assets for the children’s care. Guardianship nominations reduce ambiguity in the event of parental incapacity or death, and trusts can be structured to provide regular support while setting conditions for distributions. Planning also addresses the selection of trustees and backup guardians. Documenting these decisions helps ensure children are cared for by intended caregivers and that resources are used as parents intended, easing transition during difficult times.
When a family includes a member receiving public benefits, a special needs trust can preserve eligibility while providing supplemental support. Properly drafted trusts provide funds for expenses that enhance quality of life without disrupting benefits. Planning in these situations also coordinates with guardianship or conservatorship considerations and identifies fiduciaries who can manage long-term care. Addressing these matters proactively ensures that vulnerable family members have continued support without placing essential public benefits at risk, and it clarifies responsibilities for those charged with oversight.
Property owners and small business owners should plan for continuity and the transfer of ownership interests. Trusts and buy-sell arrangements help avoid business disruption and provide clear instructions for management and succession. For real property, placing assets into a trust can minimize probate and simplify transfers to heirs. Coordinating business documents with personal estate planning helps maintain operations and preserve value for family members who will inherit interests. Careful planning reduces uncertainty and supports smooth transitions in ownership and management.
The Law Offices of Robert P. Bergman provide estate planning services to El Granada and adjacent San Mateo County communities. We draft revocable living trusts, pour-over wills, powers of attorney, and health care directives while advising on trust funding and beneficiary coordination. Our firm also assists with trust-related petitions, trust modifications, and documents like irrevocable life insurance trusts, retirement plan trusts, pet trusts, and guardianship nominations. We strive to deliver clear guidance and reliable drafting so families can focus on what matters most while knowing their legal affairs are organized and up to date for California requirements.
Choosing the right legal partner for estate planning means selecting a firm that listens, understands family priorities, and translates them into practical documents. Our approach emphasizes careful drafting, thorough review, and clear explanations so clients know what each document does and why it matters. We work to align beneficiary designations, trust funding, and health care planning to reduce administrative burdens on loved ones and ensure continuity in management during incapacity or after death. The practice prioritizes communication and responsiveness throughout the planning process.
Clients receive individualized documents designed for their specific circumstances, whether the need is for a straightforward set of instruments or more complex arrangements such as special needs trusts or irrevocable life insurance trusts. We explain options and help clients weigh trade-offs between probate avoidance, privacy, tax considerations, and beneficiary protections. Our goal is to make the legal aspects of planning understandable and practical, enabling families to make informed decisions that reflect their long-term intentions and immediate concerns.
We also assist with post-execution matters such as trust funding, updating beneficiary designations, and preparing for potential adjustments over time. When trust administration or trust modification petitions become necessary, the firm provides guidance to resolve issues efficiently and in accordance with California law. Throughout the process we emphasize clarity in responsibilities for trustees and agents so that named fiduciaries can act confidently when the time comes. This preparation helps minimize disputes and ensures the plan functions as intended.
Our process begins with a consultation to gather family and financial information, discuss goals, and identify documents needed. We then draft the trust, will, powers of attorney, and health care directives and explain each provision in plain language. After execution, we assist with trust funding and review beneficiary designations to ensure consistency. We remain available for updates and to guide clients through any trust administration matters. This step-by-step approach helps clients move from conceptual goals to legally effective documents that operate smoothly under California law.
During the initial meeting we review your family situation, assets, and planning objectives. We identify properties, accounts, and business interests that may be relevant and discuss guardianship preferences if minors are involved. This stage clarifies whether a trust-centered plan, a will-only plan, or additional specialized trusts are appropriate. We also discuss incapacity planning and who you want to authorize to make financial and medical decisions. Clear communication at this stage helps tailor documents that reflect your priorities while complying with California law.
We audit existing documents and beneficiary designations to spot inconsistencies that could disrupt your plan. Retirement accounts and life insurance policies often pass outside trusts unless coordinated, so we review forms and recommend updates to match trust provisions where appropriate. Identifying assets that require retitling into a trust and accounts needing beneficiary changes helps avoid unintended results. This careful inventory work prevents surprises later and makes funding the trust a manageable next step.
We discuss how you want assets distributed, whether outright, in stages, or for specific purposes such as education or care. Family relationships and potential conflicts are considered so plans can include protective language, successor fiduciaries, and contingencies. For clients with unique needs, such as a loved one receiving public benefits, we recommend trust structures that preserve eligibility while providing supplemental support. This conversation shapes drafting choices to reflect both practical and personal objectives.
Following the consultation, we prepare draft documents tailored to your decisions, including trust agreements, pour-over wills, powers of attorney, and advance health care directives. Drafts are sent for review and we explain key clauses, trustee powers, and distribution mechanics. We encourage questions and revisions to ensure the documents align with your intentions. Finalized documents are then prepared for signing with proper formalities to ensure enforceability under California law, and we provide guidance on safe storage and copies for fiduciaries.
Finalization includes confirming trustee appointments, reviewing successor provisions, and making sure distribution instructions are clear. We prepare any necessary certificates of trust for use with financial institutions and outline next steps for transferring title. The finalized set typically includes the trust instrument, pour-over will, financial power of attorney, and advance health care directive. This coordinated packet ensures that fiduciaries have the authority to act and that beneficiaries understand the planned disposition of assets.
Execution of estate planning documents follows California formalities including notarization and witness requirements where applicable. We arrange for proper signing and provide instructions for distributing copies to trustees, agents, and relevant institutions. For the trust, we prepare a certification of trust to facilitate interactions with banks and title companies without disclosing trust details. Ensuring proper execution avoids arguments about validity later and gives fiduciaries confidence in their authority to manage affairs when necessary.
After documents are executed, funding the trust involves retitling real property, transferring account ownerships where appropriate, and updating beneficiary designations that should remain outside the trust. Proper funding is essential to realize the probate avoidance benefits of a trust. We provide a checklist and assist with communications to financial institutions and county recorder offices as needed. Ongoing maintenance includes periodic reviews and updates to reflect life changes, ensuring the plan remains effective and aligned with current circumstances and objectives.
Transferring real property typically requires a deed conveying title from the owner to the trust, recorded with the county. Bank and brokerage accounts may be retitled or assigned beneficiary designations to coordinate with the trust plan. For retirement accounts, beneficiary designations are reviewed and coordinated rather than transferred to the trust in many cases. We provide support and recommended language for deeds and account transfers, and we guide clients through the administrative steps to complete funding properly so the trust functions as intended.
Life events and legal changes make periodic plan reviews important. We recommend revisiting documents after marriage, divorce, births, deaths, or significant financial changes. Updates might include appointing new fiduciaries, modifying distribution terms, or addressing changes in California law. Regular communication ensures the plan continues to reflect your wishes and that trustees and agents remain appropriate choices. This ongoing maintenance protects the integrity of the estate plan and reduces the need for more complicated corrective measures in the future.
A revocable living trust and a will both express your wishes about property distribution but operate differently. A will becomes effective only after death and often requires probate, which is a public court process that validates the will and supervises distribution. A revocable living trust can hold assets during your life and provide for private transfer to beneficiaries after death without the need for probate in many cases. Trusts also allow for management of assets during incapacity, since successor trustees can step in to manage the trust property under the trust terms. Choosing between a will and a trust depends on your goals, the nature of your assets, and family circumstances. For homeowners and those who prefer privacy and probate avoidance, placing real property and other significant assets into a revocable trust is commonly recommended. A pour-over will typically complements a trust by directing any assets left outside the trust into it upon death, but careful funding of the trust during life ensures the plan functions as intended and minimizes the need for court involvement.
Selecting a trustee or agent involves assessing trustworthiness, availability, decision-making ability, and familiarity with your financial situation. Many people choose a trusted family member or friend for personal understanding and continuity, while others appoint a professional fiduciary or a combination of co-trustees to handle complex assets or reduce family stress. Successor appointments provide backups if the primary choice cannot serve. The chosen person should be willing to accept the responsibilities and capable of managing finances or coordinating with professionals when needed. Discussing duties and expectations with potential fiduciaries before naming them reduces misunderstandings later. It is also wise to name successor trustees or agents and to consider whether institutional support or professional trustees will be necessary for long-term management, particularly for complex estates, ongoing business interests, or situations requiring impartial administration.
You should review your estate plan after major life events such as marriage, divorce, births, deaths, significant changes in assets, or changes in health. These events often require updates to fiduciary appointments, distribution provisions, or beneficiary designations to ensure documents reflect current intentions. Laws and tax rules also change, so periodic professional review is prudent even without significant life events. Staying proactive helps prevent unintended consequences and ensures the plan functions smoothly when needed. A routine review every few years is a good practice, with a fresh review recommended when you acquire real property, start or sell a business, or undergo a material change in relationships. Regular maintenance keeps documents aligned with goals and reduces the chance that outdated provisions will create confusion or require court intervention later.
Many trusts, particularly revocable living trusts, can be amended or revoked during the grantor’s lifetime as long as the grantor has legal capacity. Amendments allow changes to distributions, fiduciary appointments, or other terms to reflect new circumstances. Some changes, especially those affecting irrevocable trusts, are more complicated and may require court approval or trust modification petitions. Understanding which elements can be adjusted and the procedures involved is important when planning for flexibility in the future. If circumstances require more significant alterations, legal mechanisms such as trust modification petitions or decanting may be available under California law. Working with counsel to implement changes helps ensure amendments are executed properly and do not create unintended tax or legal consequences for beneficiaries or fiduciaries.
A special needs trust is designed to provide supplemental support for a beneficiary who receives government benefits, such as Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income, without disqualifying them from those programs. The trust holds funds for the beneficiary’s benefit and pays for items or services that the government benefits do not cover, improving quality of life while preserving eligibility. The trust language and trustee discretion must be carefully drafted to avoid direct cash distributions for basic needs that could affect benefits. Special needs planning also coordinates with other elements of an estate plan, including naming successor trustees and setting clear guidelines for permissible expenditures. Regular review ensures the trust remains aligned with changes in benefits rules or the beneficiary’s personal circumstances and that appointed fiduciaries have the information needed to manage trust resources responsibly.
Funding a trust involves transferring ownership of assets from your individual name into the trust, which may include recording deeds for real property, retitling bank and brokerage accounts, and assigning certain assets or contracts to the trust. Some assets, like retirement accounts, typically remain in the original owner’s name but have beneficiary designations coordinated with the trust plan. A checklist and targeted assistance help clients complete these administrative steps so the trust functions effectively after execution. The funding process varies by asset type and institution, and timely attention to retitling prevents assets from remaining subject to probate. We assist clients in preparing deed forms, account transfer instructions, and coordination letters to financial institutions to simplify the funding process and reduce administrative burdens on trustees and family members later.
To ensure your healthcare wishes are followed, prepare an advance health care directive that names an agent and sets out treatment preferences, including end-of-life decisions if desired. A HIPAA authorization complements this directive by allowing designated agents to access medical records and communicate with providers. Clearly documenting preferences and providing copies to your agent and health care providers increases the likelihood that decisions will align with your wishes if you cannot communicate them yourself. Discuss your preferences with the person you name so they understand your values and choices. Keep copies of the directive in an accessible location and provide them to hospitals or clinics you visit regularly. Periodically review your directive to confirm it reflects current wishes and medical realities.
While it is possible to prepare some estate planning documents using standard forms, working with a lawyer helps ensure documents meet California legal requirements and are tailored to your family and asset situation. Professional drafting reduces the risk of ambiguous language, improper execution, or overlooked planning opportunities such as trust funding and beneficiary coordination. For more complex estates, business interests, or unique family needs, professional guidance helps create a cohesive plan that performs as intended. Legal assistance also supports post-execution tasks like funding the trust, preparing deeds, and advising on trust administration or modification when required. If disputes arise or court filings become necessary, having documents drafted with proper legal care can make administration smoother and reduce the chance of costly litigation. Engaging counsel provides a higher degree of certainty about enforceability and administrative practicality.
A pour-over will serves as a safety net for assets that were not transferred into a trust during life by directing them into the trust at death. While a pour-over will may still require probate for certain assets, its function is to ensure that any remaining property is governed by the trust’s terms rather than being distributed separately. This instrument complements trust-centered planning and helps keep the overall estate plan coherent by funneling stray assets into the established trust structure. Because a pour-over will may trigger probate for assets that were never retitled, careful attention to funding the trust during life minimizes reliance on the pour-over mechanism. Regular review and coordination of asset transfers and beneficiary designations reduce the need to rely on probate and help preserve the benefits of the trust-based approach.
Disputes among beneficiaries are often addressed through clear, well-drafted documents, transparent communication, and selecting trusted fiduciaries who can administer the estate fairly. Provisions such as no-contest clauses, detailed distribution instructions, and carefully chosen trustees can deter or limit litigation. When disputes arise, mediation and negotiation are common first steps to resolve issues without lengthy court proceedings, while litigation remains an option if resolution cannot be reached through other means. Proactive planning, including discussing wishes with family members and documenting reasons for certain provisions, can reduce misunderstandings that lead to disputes. When litigation is necessary, the structure and clarity of the original documents play an important role in how courts evaluate claims and how efficiently the estate or trust can be administered.
Criminal Defense
Homicide Defense
Manslaughter
Assault and Battery
Assault with a Deadly Weapon
Battery Causing Great Bodily Injury
Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence Protection Orders
Domestic Violence Restraining Order
Arson Defense
Weapons Charges
Illegal Firearm Possessions
Civil Harassment
Civil Harassment Restraining Orders
School Violence Restraining Orders
Violent Crimes Defense
Estate Planning Practice Areas