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By: Scott Grossman on February 26th, 2018

3 Steps To Find A Missing Person In Probate Administration

When a loved one is missing for a prolonged period of time and you have reason to believe that he or she may have passed away, you may need to begin California probate proceedings. This can be a complex process because the court will want to see evidence that you have done an appropriate amount of work to locate the missing person or verify whether he or she has passed away. Fortunately, an experienced Riverside probate attorney can help you try to find a missing person in probate.

What About When There Is Not Enough Evidence to Presume that Someone has Passed Away?

The court may instruct you to take the following steps:

  • Publish a request for information about the missing person’s whereabouts in a newspaper or periodical
  • Notify law enforcement agencies or other public agencies about the missing person’s disappearance
  • Hire an investigator to search for the missing person

The costs associated with taking any of the above actions are paid from the estate of the missing person. In many cases, however, there are insufficient assets in the estate to make these payments. In these instances, the petitioner must pay the expenses.

During the probate administration process in California, it is not always the individual who is presumed dead that has gone missing. Sometimes, it is one of the beneficiaries. To learn more about how you can try to find a missing person in probate and other probate administration procedures, contact an experienced Riverside probate lawyer today. Call the Grossman Law Firm at (888) 443-6590 for a free consultation. Or fill out our quick and easy contact form today. It would be our pleasure to further assist you.