Location: Texas
My sister died last week. We didn’t speak for 10 years and she turned all of my family against me through lies. A family friend was the Executrix, she wouldn’t give me any information about services, the will, or her death certificate or if I could collect family pictures from my sister’s house. She told me that a law firm is now the executor of my sisters estate and won’t tell me the name of the law firm. I don’t expect anything in the will but I want to be there when it’s ready. I am my sister’s next of kin and still haven’t been notified by the county.
How do I find out about my sister’s estate, will and who the executer is?
Is it illegal to be in charge of someone’s estate and not notify the next of kin or tell the next of kin who the executer is?
Comments
The “reading of the will“ is sort of a movie thing, not a real life thing. You’ll be able to access the will once it has been filed with the county. It will be public record.
>We didn’t speak for 10 years and she turned all of my family against me through lies.
It is pretty reasonable to suspect she didn’t leave you anything.
>How do I find out about my sister’s estate, will and who the executer is?
You can visit the local probate court and review the case record. Or hire a probate attorney.
>Is it illegal to be in charge of someone’s estate and not notify the next of kin or tell the next of kin who the executer is?
What makes you next of kin? Sister didn’t have a spouse? Or children? Or living parents? Or someone she designated?
If there was a family friend executor who successfully did things, likely no one owes you anything. Including answers.
The executor is required to notify all beneficiaries of the estate, as well as anyone who would be an heir if the will did not exist. When you say you are next of kin, are you truly your sister’s only living relative and she does not have a spouse or children? If so then you should be kept informed. Otherwise you are not considered an heir and do not have to be notified.
As far as the family pictures, we don’t have enough information to determine if you are entitled to the pictures.