Probate Court

When probate court cannot be avoided, you need knowledge, experience, and expertise on your side.

You may not have planned to be here, but you can plan to get through it.

Sometimes probate court simply cannot be avoided. Some families find themselves in need of probate court because they lose a loved one who failed to properly plan ahead to avoid probate. Others find themselves in need of a probate because, after a loved one’s death, funds come in for which they couldn’t plan, such as proceeds from a lawsuit.

In Arkansas, there are two distinct types of probate: the small estate probate and the full probate. Most people are more familiar with the full probate process, which must last at least six months from the date notice is placed in the newspaper. Almost nothing can happen in this probate process without a court order.

The small estate probate process can be much quicker and easier, but it is not always an available option. Estates valued over $100,000 are not appropriate for the small estate probate process. Additionally, if the deceased person had outstanding debt at the time of death or received Medicaid benefits in a facility during his or her lifetime, the small estate probate process is not appropriate.

The Elrod Firm has the expertise not only to make sure our clients’ estates go through the right probate process, but also to minimize the difficulties that come along with it. Our goal in probate is to help clients honor the legacies of their loved ones without having to put everything in their own lives on hold.