About our Missouri Probate Practice

We are, first and foremost, a law firm. Our practice is primarily focused in various areas of Estate Planning. An integral part of this involves the handling of Probate matters from time to time.  We work in Courts throughout the State of Missouri.

We fully understand that the vast majority of people prefer to never deal with the Probate system. Because of that we spend much of our time with clients who want to plan their affairs so as to be certain that their "stuff" -- their money, property, etc. - goes where they want it to go upon their deaths, and only where they want it to go.

Probate avoidance is a significant part of that planning, although certainly not everything. We also encourage our clients to protect their stuff from their children's divorcing spouses and other "creditors and predators".

Probate is necessary primarily when people don't plan appropriately, or, don't understand their planning. For instance, we are frequently forced to explain to someone that Wills don't avoid probate -- in fact, they require probate to work as intended. One of the best definitions of a Will is "a set of instructions to the Probate Court".

When probate is necessary, our job is to make it as smooth and quick as possible. We dedicate ourselves to that proposition.  We will do our best to help you understand what is happening and why.  We have found that much of the frustration with probate matters stems from not knowing why, how long, how much, etc.

For more information on Rick Herndon, click here.