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Best Probate Lawyers in Portsmouth, VA

Our Recommended Top 11

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Our goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Portsmouth Probate Lawyers on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.

31Reviewed

23Curated

11Top Picks

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Providers

featured provider = Featured Provider

5233 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23462

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Review Sources

Facebook
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

The Law of Offices Edward F. Halloran offers legal support for individuals and families in and around the Portsmouth community. Halloran represents clients in probate cases, helping them manage their deceased loved ones' estates and settle family disputes regarding asset distribution. The attorney also protects people's assets through estate tax planning, business succession, powers of attorney, and special needs trusts. Halloran is a Vietnam War veteran who brings over 35 years of legal experience to his practice.

  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Inheritance Taxes

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Edward Halloran - Principalactive55 yrs

780 Lynnhaven Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23452

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4.5 (24)

Why choose this provider?

Virginia Beach Law Group has probate lawyers near Portsmouth. Attorneys at this firm aim to provide individual attention to every client dealing with issues in wills and other estate-related matters. Their practice areas are also focused on family law, immigration, business law, criminal law, traffic law, and real estate. Virginia Beach Law Group's founder, David C. Johnson, is a member of the Virginia Beach Bar Association and the Norfolk-Portsmouth Bar Association.

  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
David Johnson - CEOactive55 yrs

840 Greenbrier Circle, Chesapeake, VA 23320

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5.0 (10)

Why choose this provider?

Shannon & Associates, P.C., provides legal counsel and representation from its Chesapeake location. Included in its practice areas is estate planning. Kristen M. Shannon, the firm's estate planning attorney, provides assistance in drafting different types of documents, such as trusts, wills, powers of attorney, and guardianship. She also offers legal counsel for cases that involve probate or estate administration. The legal firm's team of lawyers carries more than two decades of collective experience in the industry.

  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Kristen Shannon - Principal / Owneractive55 yrs

3115 Western Branch Boulevard, Chesapeake, VA 23321

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Avvo
5.0 (7)

Why choose this provider?

Founded in 1981, Berg & Chmielewski PC is a law firm with considerable experience in key areas of law that involve the protection, management, and distribution of wealth. The firm's probate attorneys provide compassionate guidance and advice to executors and families who need to process the will of a loved one. The attorneys' services include collecting the decedent's estate, deal with claims from creditors, and distribute the remaining estate in accordance with the will's instructions.

  • Wills
  • Estate Planning

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Casey Chmielewski - Managing Partneractive55 yrs

4705 Columbus Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23462

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Yelp
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Mahoney & Richmond PLLC is a well-established law firm near Portsmouth that practices probate law. Attorney L. Ashley Brooks has considerable experience in all aspects of protecting estates and transferring them to the decedent's heirs and beneficiaries. The attorney navigates executors through the probate process and handles the time-consuming procedures, such as notifying creditors and filing documents with the probate court. Attorney Brooks can also arrange guardianships to protect vulnerable estate owners who now need support.

  • Wills
  • Estate Planning
  • Trust Administration

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
L. Brooks - Principalactive55 yrs
L. Brooks - Principalactive55 yrs

308 Cedar Lakes Drive, Chesapeake, VA 23322

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Avvo
5.0 (15)
Google
4.3 (12)

Why choose this provider?

Basnight, Kinser, Leftwich & Nuckolls, P.C., is a law firm that serves the Portsmouth metro and the neighboring areas. The firm assists its clients in probate and trust administration to ensure that the estate or trust is settled efficiently. It offers litigation services for disputes involving impeachment of wills and the replacement of trustees. One of its attorneys, Jeffery L. Nuckolls, is admitted to practice in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

  • Wills
  • Estate Planning

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Robert Kinser - PartnerActive47 yrs

1432 North Great Neck Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23454

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Google
3.9 (15)

Why choose this provider?

Paulson & Paulson PLC is a law firm that was established in 1980. For 40 years, the firm has served Virginia Beach residents and nearby areas like Portsmouth and Arlington. The firm has extensive experience in estate plans, including wills, trusts and administrations, and probate litigation. While its attorneys are passionate about rendering their services to clients, they also educate them to be active in decision-making in their legal matters. Paulson & Paulson represents a variety of individual and business clients.

  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Matthew Paulson - Partneractive55 yrs

611 Lynnhaven Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23452

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5.0 (12)

Why choose this provider?

Coleman & Coleman, PLC is a general practice law firm that offers comprehensive residential and commercial real estate services. Aside from handling real estate transactions, the firm has estate planning attorneys in Portsmouth who have experience in drafting wills and trusts, protecting beneficiaries, reducing taxes, and other related legal matters. Attorneys in this firm handle cases using a personalized approach. Coleman & Coleman, PLC's practice areas also include business and corporate law, general/civil litigation, and personal injury.

  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Scott Coleman - Partneractive55 yrs
Donnie Coleman - PartnerActive20 yrs

Suite 200, 409 Bank Street, Norfolk, VA 23510

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Google
5.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

Ganderson Law, P.C. is a boutique firm with a focus on estate planning and administration, trust and estate litigation, and tax planning. Serving Portsmouth and the surrounding areas, the firm provides clients with legal guidance in matters of planning estates and assisting trustees and executors in the administration of their fiduciary duties. This includes providing assistance in probate proceedings, asset collection, tax returns preparation, debt and liability identification, and asset distribution. One of its shareholders, Martin J. Ganderson, established the law office in 2008.

  • Estate Planning

TowneBank Bldg 200 High Street, Suite 302, Portsmouth, VA 23704

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Google
4.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

Poole Brooke Plumlee PC has been delivering legal services for probate-related issues to people in Portsmouth for the last three decades. Its attorneys and administrative staff represent fiduciaries, including conservators, guardians, executors, and trustees. Its services include estate planning, charitable gift planning, beneficiary representation, estate management, and probate litigation. Laura S. Douglas, the firm's lead attorney of the Trusts, Estates & Elder Law Department, creates estate plans and aids clients in putting them into action to meet the family's unique needs.

  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Estate Planning

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Jeff Brooke - PrincipalActive37 yrs

200 High Street, Portsmouth, VA 23704

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Google
4.4 (20)
Facebook
5.0 (1)
Yelp
1.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Cooper, Spong & Davis PC is a firm of probate attorneys in Portsmouth that's been assisting executors, families, and beneficiaries since the 1950s. Attorney Edward Miller has more than 13 years of legal experience, with much of it involving probate law, where he assists executors tasked with honoring wills and advises heirs and beneficiaries. The attorney also handles the practical aspects of the process, such as petitioning the probate court, collecting the estate, and paying its creditors from funds.

  • Trusts
  • Wills
  • Probate Litigation

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Robert Barclay - President and Managing Partneractive55 yrs
David Tynch - Presidentactive55 yrs
Ted Miller - Associateactive55 yrs

Compare our Top Probate Lawyers

NameExpertise RatingAddressPromotionsLearn more
The Law of Offices Edward F. Halloran
5233 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Virginia Beach Law Group
780 Lynnhaven Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23452
Shannon & Associates, P.C.
840 Greenbrier Circle, Chesapeake, VA 23320
Berg & Chmielewski, PC
3115 Western Branch Boulevard, Chesapeake, VA 23321
Mahoney & Richmond, PLLC
4705 Columbus Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Basnight, Kinser, Leftwich & Nuckolls, P.C.
308 Cedar Lakes Drive, Chesapeake, VA 23322
Paulson & Paulson, PLC
1432 North Great Neck Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23454
Coleman & Coleman, PLC
611 Lynnhaven Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23452
Ganderson Law, P.C.
Suite 200, 409 Bank Street, Norfolk, VA 23510
Poole Brooke Plumlee PC
TowneBank Bldg 200 High Street, Suite 302, Portsmouth, VA 23704
Cooper, Spong & Davis, P.C.
200 High Street, Portsmouth, VA 23704

Disclaimer:  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 with Expertise.com and must meet similar selection criteria as other lawyers. All cases are different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

FAQs

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

    For non-emergency concerns, individuals can contact the Portsmouth Police Department at (603) 427-1500.

  • Where should probate procedures be initiated for a decedent who was a resident of Portsmouth at the time of their death?

    If the deceased individual was a resident of Portsmouth at the time of their passing, probate procedures should be initiated at the Portsmouth Circuit Court. Their prior residence is considered for those who passed away in a nursing home. It's advisable to begin these processes within a month from the date of death to ensure a smooth estate transition.

  • How long does the probate process typically take in Portsmouth, and what factors could influence its duration?

    In Portsmouth, the probate procedure often lasts six months, a year, or even longer. The minimum six-month term is mandatory for creditor settlement. Various factors, such as the existence of a testamentary trust, the degree of pre-death estate planning, potential family conflicts, and complexities, may influence the process's duration. Additional time might be required to address inheritance and guardianship issues if the decedent left behind minor children.

  • What strategies can residents of Portsmouth employ to bypass the probate process after their demise?

    Portsmouth citizens can employ several strategies to sidestep probate. They might create a revocable living trust, transferring their assets into this trust and managing it themselves. They may gift possessions like artwork or cars while still alive. Opening Transfer on Death (TOD) or Payable on Death (POD) accounts at their bank or adding beneficiaries to their existing bank accounts can also be helpful. Engaging a knowledgeable estate planning attorney for personalized guidance is recommended.

  • Can Portsmouth homeowners directly transfer real estate to beneficiaries upon their death without going through probate?

    Absolutely. Virginia law permits Portsmouth property owners to convey real estate directly to a specified beneficiary or beneficiaries upon their demise, bypassing probate. This legal mechanism called a Transfer on Death Deed, must be officially recorded before the owner's death and can be annulled by filing a revocation or a new deed. This strategy offers a cost-effective solution for estate planning.

  • Can an adult child in Portsmouth claim a share of their father's estate after years of no communication?

    Yes, an adult child in Portsmouth can claim a portion of their father's estate, provided there are no legal limitations or disqualifications. In the case of an illegitimate child, inheritance can be granted if the deceased and the other parent were previously married under illegal or void circumstances or if a genetic test establishes paternity and the parent acknowledged the child as their own without refusing child support payments.

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