Probate & Trust Litigation Lawyers in Thousand Oaks, CA

Why Probate & Trust Litigation Matters

Even the most carefully crafted estate plans can lead to disagreement. When emotions run high, disputes can quickly become personal and financially damaging. Having an experienced trial attorney can make the difference between prolonged conflict and a fair, efficient outcome.

In Ventura County, probate and trust disputes are typically handled by the Ventura County Superior Court's Probate Division, located in Oxnard. Our firm regularly assists clients in this venue and is familiar with the local court procedures, timelines, and filing requirements specific to this jurisdiction.

How We Can Help in Probate Litigation

Probate disputes can be emotionally draining and financially devastating, often pitting family members against each other while delaying the distribution of an estate. Given the complexities of California's probate courts and the high-stakes nature of these conflicts, you need a litigator with a proven track record.

Our Thousand Oaks practice is equipped to handle a full spectrum of complex probate and estate litigation, including:

• Will contests: Challenging or defending the validity of a last will based on grounds like undue influence, lack of mental capacity, or claims of fraud or improper execution.
• Executor misconduct and breach of duty: Aggressively pursuing or defending the executor or personal representative of an estate who has mismanaged assets, breached their fiduciary duties, or failed to properly administer the estate according to law.
• Elder financial abuse: Leveraging our experience in elder fraud litigation to recover assets and seek justice when a vulnerable individual's estate has been wrongfully depleted before or during the probate process.
• Disputes over beneficiary rights: Resolving conflicts over the distribution of probate assets, the interpretation of the will, and issues involving omitted heirs or community property rights within the estate.

When a high-stakes probate matter requires a decisive, courtroom-ready strategy right here in Ventura County, our firm provides the focused representation you need.

Our Trust Litigation Practice in Thousand Oaks

Trust disputes demand a litigator who understands both the sensitive family dynamics and the sophisticated legal mechanisms involved. With the increased use of living trusts to avoid probate, disputes over these documents have become increasingly complex and require focused knowledge and experience.

We are fully equipped to manage the spectrum of contentious issues that can arise when administering or challenging a trust:

• Trust contests and validity challenges - Challenging a trust based on allegations of undue influence, lack of mental capacity of the settlor (the person who created the trust), or claims that the document was improperly executed or fraudulent.
• Breach of fiduciary duty - Pursuing legal action against trustees who have engaged in self-dealing, mismanaged trust assets, failed to account to beneficiaries properly, or improperly distributed funds.
• Trust accountings and interpretation - Litigating disputes over ambiguous trust language, forcing delinquent trustees to provide a complete and proper accounting of trust finances, or challenging the reasonableness of trustee fees.
• Removal and surcharge of trustees - Seeking the removal of a dishonest or incompetent trustee and pursuing a surcharge (a judgment) against them to recover assets lost due to their misconduct.

We work diligently to see that the intentions of the trust creator are upheld and your rights and financial interests are protected, whether you are a beneficiary, heir, or trustee.