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Best Probate Lawyers in Athens

2023

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Website
1800 Hog Mountain Road, Watkinsville, GA 30677
  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning
  • Probate

Why choose this provider?

The French Law Group LLC offers legal protection solutions for families and businesses in Athens. The company guides families, individuals, same-sex couples, special needs families, and entrepreneurs in estate planning and probate administration. It assists clients in creating last wills and testaments, financial powers of attorney, and advanced directives for healthcare. Founder Laura French is an adjunct professor of law at the University of Georgia School of Law. Her expertise is in trust matters, estate planning, and corporate law.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
5.0
Google
5.0 / 5 (17)
Facebook
5.0 / 5 (15)

Website
301 Green Street, Gainesville, GA 30501
  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning
  • Living Trust
  • Trust Administration

Why choose this provider?

Smith, Gilliam, Williams & Miles is an estate planning and family law firm that serves clients throughout the Athens metro area. Founded in 1928, the firm represents individuals, families, non-profits, and corporate fiduciaries in all areas of estate planning. Specific estate planning services provided include drafting wills, preparing revocable trusts, and creating customized plans to maximize wealth while reducing taxes. In addition to estate planning, the firm's attorneys provide legal guidance to trustees, beneficiaries, and executors in probate litigation and private trust administrations.

Attorney Information

Attorney NamesExperience
Bradley Patten - Partner37 yrs

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
4.7
Google
4.6 / 5 (9)
Avvo
5.0 / 5 (3)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
3651 Mars Hill Rd Suite 500A, Watkinsville, GA 30677
  • Estate Planning

Why choose this provider?

C. David Rowe, P.C., is a law firm that represents clients in Athens in probate, estate planning, business law, and tax law cases. The sole attorney assists clients in drafting wills and testaments and insurance and health care plans. He also represents business owners in various transactions, from formation to sale or ownership transitions. Rowe is a member of the US Tax Court and WealthCounsel, which is a group of over 2,500 estate planning attorneys nationwide.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
4.6
Google
4.6 / 5 (9)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
3.8
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail
––

Website
1040 Founders Row, Greensboro, GA 30642
  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning
  • Probate Litigation

Why choose this provider?

J.V. Dell Jr. of J.V. Dell PC is an estate planning attorney near Athens who has served clients for over two decades. Attorney Dell and his team provide legal counsel in probate matters such as claims against estates, will contests, and disputes between beneficiaries. Estate planning services are provided to help clients prepare for transfers of assets and property upon their passing, with specific services that include preparation of medical directives and living wills, setting up trust accounts, and drafting last wills and testaments.

Attorney Information

Attorney NamesExperience
Jack Dell - Founding Attorney29 yrs

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
5.0
Google
5.0 / 5 (4)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
2350 Prince Avenue, Athens, GA 30606
  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning
  • Living Trust
  • Trust Administration
  • Probate Litigation

Why choose this provider?

Sperr Law Offices is a law firm in Athens with a focus on estate planning, probate, and elder law matters. The firm's attorneys assist personal representatives with filing probate petitions and opening probate administration, and they help individuals and families create estate plans to preserve assets and plan for future medical expenses in the event of incapacitation. Estate planning services offered include the preparation of revocable trusts and special needs trusts, drafting of last wills and testaments, and advising on potential estate taxes and asset protection.

Attorney Information

Attorney NamesExperience
Brad Sperr - Principal18 yrs

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
5.0
Google
5.0 / 5 (122)
Avvo
4.9 / 5 (41)
Facebook
4.7 / 5 (15)

(+1 additional source)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
1361 Jennings Mill Rd Ste 411, Watkinsville, GA 30677
  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning
  • Living Trust
  • Estate Settlement

Why choose this provider?

The Laster Law Firm is a law practice in the Athens metro area that represents parties in probate and estate planning matters. Attorney John Laster founded the firm in 2011, and he and his team assist parties with probate matters such as assigning probate executors, valuing estates and paying off debts, and final distribution of assets. Estate planning services Mr. Laster assists with include creation of financial and medical powers of attorney agreements, drafting of wills and trusts, and estate tax advising.

Attorney Information

Attorney NamesExperience
Jonathan Laster - Principal29 yrs

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
4.2
Facebook
5.0 / 5 (13)
Google
3.6 / 5 (11)
Yelp
2.5 / 5 (3)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
320 East Clayton Street, Athens, GA 30601
  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning

Why choose this provider?

Cynthia E. Call of the Law Offices of Cynthia E. Call is a probate attorney in Athens in practice since 1995. Attorney Call assists personal representatives and executors with probate matters such as filing initial petitions with the court and overseeing administration of asset distribution. Ms. Call provides counsel to individuals and families in all areas of estate planning, and she helps with the drafting of wills, trusts, durable financial power of attorney agreements, and medical directives.

Attorney Information

Attorney NamesExperience
Cynthia Call - Principal29 yrs

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
4.6
Google
4.6 / 5 (11)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
1 North 3rd Street, Watkinsville, GA 30677
  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning
  • Living Trust
  • Estate Taxes
  • Probate Litigation

Why choose this provider?

Representing clients throughout the Athens metro area, Oconee Law Firm is an estate planning and elder care legal practice that offers both litigation and mediation services. Founding attorney Dennise L. Grayson is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and she helps clients prepare estate plans and long-term care plans to provide for loved ones and ensure medical costs are covered later in life. Attorney Grayson handles probate administration matters, and she advises on estate taxes and asset protection strategies.

Attorney Information

Attorney NamesExperience
Dennise Grayson - Principal16 yrs

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
5.0
Google
5.0 / 5 (14)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
3.8
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail
––

Website
2500 Daniell’s Bridge Road Building 200, Suite 3A, Athens, GA 30606
  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning

Why choose this provider?

Fortson, Bentley & Griffin, P.A. Attorneys at Law, is a firm that has been assisting clients in Athens since 1946. It handles estate law matters, including probate, asset protection, estate and trust administration, guardianship and conservatorship, and estate planning. Its probate services involve guiding trustees and beneficiaries, administering the estates, and distributing the decedents' assets. Partner William C. Berryman, Jr., who has been practicing law since 1978, served as the county attorney for 16 years at the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
4.5
Google
4.8 / 5 (13)
Facebook
0.0 / 5 (1)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
3.8
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail
––

Website
286 Hancock Street, Madison, GA 30650
  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning

Why choose this provider?

Serving clients throughout the Athens metro area, Morris Law LLC is a full-service legal practice that offers estate planning services to individuals and families. Services provided include advising on and preparing last wills and testaments, setting up trusts to help preserve assets, and assistance with estate tax matters. The firm's additional practice areas include family law, business law, and criminal law. Founder and principal attorney Stephen Morris received his Juris Doctor from Florida Coastal School of Law, and he is a member of the Georgia Bar.

Attorney Information

Attorney NamesExperience
Stephen Morris - Founder and Principal Attorney11 yrs

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
5.0

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
1431 Capital Avenue, Suite 115, Watkinsville, GA 30677
  • Estate Planning

Why choose this provider?

Fields is a law firm that helps clients in Athens navigate the court-supervised probate process. Bayli Fields, the firm's founder, assists in determining the value of the decedent's assets, settling their taxes and final bills, and distributing their remaining estate to rightful beneficiaries. She also provides services for asset protection and guides clients in creating their estate and special needs plans. She lectures in UGA’s OLLI program, where she offers elder law-related staff training for assisted living facilities and nursing homes.

Attorney Information

Attorney NamesExperience
Bayli Fields - Founder/Attorney7 yrs

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
5.0
Facebook
5.0 / 5 (12)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
1360 Caduceus Way, Watkinsville, GA 30677
  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning
  • Living Trust
  • Estate Taxes
  • Trust Administration

Why choose this provider?

Prior Law Firm is an estate planning and elder law firm that represents clients throughout the Athens metro area. All estate planning services provided are confidential, and the firm's attorneys assist in areas that include the drafting of estate documents such as wills and trusts, assistance with naming beneficiaries and setting up trust accounts, and preparation of medical directives and financial power of attorney agreements. When estates must complete probate prior to settling, the practice provides thorough guidance throughout the proceedings.

Attorney Information

Attorney NamesExperience
Robert Prior - Principal30 yrs

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
5.0
Avvo
5.0 / 5 (7)
Google
5.0 / 5 (3)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
1220 Langford Drive Building 200, Suite 101, Watkinsville, GA 30677
  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning
  • Probate

Why choose this provider?

Epps, Holloway, DeLoach & Hoipkemier, LLC, handles the needs of individuals and families in the Athens area and neighboring communities. The firm focuses on various practice areas, including probate avoidance, estate planning, asset protection, and estate tax planning. Kelly Holloway, who was one of the founding partners of Epps, Holloway, DeLoach & Hoipkemier in 2016, has 19 years of experience in Athens. Before joining the firm, she concentrated her practice on estate planning, estate administration, and elder law.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
4.3
Google
3.7 / 5 (3)
Facebook
5.0 / 5 (3)
Yelp
5.0 / 5 (3)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
115 Sycamore Drive Suite B-1, Athens, GA 30606
  • Wills
  • Estate Taxes

Why choose this provider?

Kenneth Dious & Associates has been catering to the legal needs of families and individuals in Athens for more than four decades. It litigates various types of probate law cases, helping clients settle powers of attorney and contractual disputes. The law office also offers estate planning and will and trust administration assistance, and it represents negligence victims suffering from medical malpractice and automobile accident injuries. Principal partner Kenneth Dious is a member of the Georgia Supreme Court Commission for Equality.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
4.9
Google
4.9 / 5 (14)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Consumers utilizing Expertise.com are free to communicate and contract with any lawyer they choose. Expertise.com is not involved in the confidential attorney-client relationship. Featured lawyers pay a reasonable advertising cost to market their legal services withExpertise.com and must meet similar selection criteria as other lawyers. All cases are different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the non-emergency contact number for the local police station in Athens, Georgia?

    The non-emergency contact number for the Athens-Clarke County Police is 706-613-3345.

  • What happens during probate in Athens?

    In Athens, probate is the process where a personal representative of the deceased or an executor will have the authority to pay off debt and taxes, gather belongings, and distribute the assets to the people named in the will. When a person dies, their will is filed in the county where they lived, and the probate process begins.

  • In Athens, which assets are included in probate?

    The property of a deceased person in Athens is divided between probate and non-probate assets. Assets that are part of the probate process are those that become part of an individual's estate upon their passing. Non-probate assets refer to property that automatically gets transferred to another person when its original owner passes away.

  • What are common problems associated with probate in Athens?

    Probate cases in Athens include potential issues with expensive court fees and time delays. People may also find problems with the lack of privacy associated with probate cases due to some individuals, like the mention of sensitive information in their wills. Additionally, some probate cases become more difficult when the person that passed away owned real property in another state.

  • When is probate litigation necessary in Athens?

    Probate litigation in Athens becomes necessary when there are disputes regarding estate administration. The most common situations that could lead to probate litigation include claims of fraud, jointly held assets, undue influence, and lack of capacity. Other issues that could lead to litigation involve a breach of the prudent investor rule, a breach of fiduciary duty claims, and problems with self-dealing.

  • Is it possible to contest a will in Athens?

    Yes, a will can be contested in Athens. Any party can contest the will if they can prove that they would have been named, should have been named, or were named in the will. There are several ways to challenge a will, including proving that the document was drafted fraudulently, contesting the mental capacity of the testator, and arguing that the testator was affected by undue influence.

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