To sue an executor of an estate, you must file a petition for breach of fiduciary duty in the probate court overseeing the estate, typically requiring evidence of misconduct like theft, mismanagement, or failure to distribute assets. You should hire an estate litigation attorney to draft this petition, serve it on the executor, and present evidence to remove the executor or seek financial compensation.
If the executor fails to meet their legal obligations, a beneficiary can sue them for breach of fiduciary duty. If there are multiple beneficiaries, all must agree on whether to sue an executor.
Get Help from an Experienced Attorney
If you disagree with the decisions taken by the executor of a deceased loved one's estate, consulting with an experienced California will and estate contest attorney is important to protect your rights.
Apply to remove the executor: If the executor is not acting in the best interests of the estate, you may apply to the court to remove them from their role. Common grounds for removal include misconduct, inability to act due to illness, or failure to act in a timely manner.
If an executor distributes all of the estate before the six month period expires, and a claim for further provision is made, an executor may be personally liable. Therefore, we always recommend to executors that if there are any concerns about a claim, it is best to wait until the six-month period ends.
In such cases, beneficiaries may have grounds to hold the executor personally liable for the financial losses their misconduct caused the estate to incur. If the misconduct is severe, they may also be justified in seeking the executor's removal.
Common forms of executor misconduct include: Self-dealing: Using estate funds for personal benefit. Failure to account: Withholding or falsifying financial reports. Neglect: Failing to secure, insure, or distribute estate assets in a timely manner.
Grounds for the removal of an executor include, but are not confined to, neglect of duties, incompetence, conflict of interest, or actions contrary to the best interests of the estate and beneficiaries. The Court will scrutinise the circumstances before effecting the removal of an executor.
To start a lawsuit, you'll need proof of wrongdoing. Keep all papers, emails and records that show how the executor or trustee mishandled things. Take your evidence to the probate court where the estate or trust is open. Remember that estate and trust laws change often in California.
An executor can override a beneficiary when they are acting in accordance with state statutes, the terms of a will and the level of legal authority they've been granted by the court to administer an estate. This holds true even in instances where beneficiaries disagree with their decisions.
How to change the executor of a will after death. To remove someone who's been appointed as an executor by the testator (the deceased), the executor in question would either need to sign a renunciation, which means they would no longer be entitled to manage the deceased's estate.
To this end, executors are prohibited from altering the deceased's will. When it comes time to distribute assets to named beneficiaries, they may not change, override or ignore the will. Executors of estates are also discouraged from distributing assets to beneficiaries before the estate has been appropriately taxed.
Executors are required to disclose relevant information to beneficiaries, including the contents of the will, the value of the estate, any changes or challenges to the will, and the progress of the estate administration.
Before distributing funds, an executor also has the authority to hold assets for a certain period of time for safekeeping. However, they cannot withhold assets for their own benefit. If in rare situations the fees of an executor exceed the value of the estate, they will need to take everything.
That said, the average fees for executor removal cases generally fall within the range of $20,000 to $80,000, with fees for cases that go to trial often being upwards of $100,000. Complex cases with more assets at stake can cause fees to multiply.
After Probate – Removal of Executors
Historically, this action is brought to the High Court and requires robust evidence of misconduct or other significant failings. The court may: Revoke the grant of probate. Appoint a new personal representative to act on behalf of the estate.
There's no set timeline for an executor to sell a house during probate. The time it takes to sell the deceased person's home depends on the probate court rules and how complex the estate is.
While there are no set deadlines or time limits, executors are generally expected to complete estate administration within 12 months from the date of death. This is often referred to as the “executor's year” and it usually allows all the time the executor will need to carry out their duties properly.
The very first things an executor should do after a death are secure the residence, locate the original will, obtain multiple certified copies of the death certificate, and then start the probate process by filing the will and certificate with the probate court, while also safeguarding assets and documenting everything meticulously. It's crucial to act quickly to prevent fraud and ensure assets go to the right people, often with the help of a probate attorney.
Challenges can be made by fellow Executors or beneficiaries
There may be more than one Executor appointed and they have to act by agreement. This means that challenges can be made both by co-executors as well as the beneficiaries to an estate. Where there is deadlock directions can be sought from the court.