What Happens If My Loved One Dies Without A Will?

The settling of an estate of someone who died without a will is known as intestate succession. Assets in such cases will go to heirs defined by kinship: If the deceased person was married, all community property goes to the spouse and all separate property is divided among the widow(er) and some combination of children, grandchildren, parents, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews, and in some cases, stepchildren, depending on the family structure. California’s probate laws answer all the “what if?” questions about lines of inheritance in great detail.

A knowledgeable probate law attorney is a valuable guide for all such processes. The lawyers of Griswold LaSalle Cobb Dowd & Gin LLP have more than 200 years’ worth of combined experience. We are ready to help your family in such a case.