When a person dies, they often leave behind property (or assets) and financial obligations (or liabilities). The probate process ensures that those matters are handled appropriately under the law. In the probate process, a court will designate a person to be the personal representative of the estate. The personal representative must notify the estate’s beneficiaries and creditors, identify all estate assets, pay estate debts, and distribute estate assets to beneficiaries. When these duties are complete, the probate court will close the estate. The probate process applies both to estates where the person who died left a will and to estates where no Will was left.

When a person dies without a will, their assets are passed on according to Tennessee law, or intestate succession. We can help you understand how the assets pass pursuant to the law.