Q: Who pays when I have to sue a trustee to give me a copy of my parent's trust?

A: The trustee pays if you do it right.  Doing it right is simple.  Make written request of the trustee for a copy of the trust and its amendments.  There's no particular language that has to be used.  A simple two sentence letter saying you want a copy of the trust and the trust's amendments will do.  Keep a copy of your letter.  If you don't receive a copy of the trust and its amendment in sixty days then you can sue the trustee.  The trustee will be held liable if the trustee doesn't send you the copy you requested.  The probate court judge will grant a request for reasonable attorney's fees and costs as long as you ask for it in your petition.

The Grossman Law Firm, A.P.C. are Riverside, California probate lawyers.  We help probate estates in Riverside County, California.  We appear in the Riverside probate court for cases in the area bounded by Temecula, Corona, and Banning, California.  We appear in the Palm Springs/Indio probate court for cases from Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Indian Wells, and Indio, California.  If you  would like more information on probate and trust administration then order our free book The Insider's Guide to California Probate and Trust Administration as well as our free DVD Probate a Will or Administer a Trust After the Death of a Loved One.