Out of State Litigation

Out-of-State Probate Lawyers
Experienced Divorce and Property Division Lawyers – Since 1974 Out of State? We Can Help.

It is not unusual for out-of-state heirs, devisees, trust beneficiaries, or even personal representatives named in a decedent's will to find themselves with significant responsibilities or interests with respect to the administration of a Michigan estate or trust.


At Melder & Melder, P.C., we help out-of-state clients resolve probate litigation matters while minimizing the need to return to Michigan.


In addition, distance can seem like an insurmountable problem when you are feeling frustrated over the management of an estate or a trust. You believe that your financial interests are being hurt and yet it would be both costly and time-consuming to travel to Michigan to try to address the problem by yourself.


The good news is that you do have options and you don't need to handle these types of problems on your own. We represent out-of-state clients as plaintiffs or defendants in Michigan probate matters.

The following are examples of the kinds of issues we can handle on your behalf:

  • Estate, will, and trust contests/litigation.
  • Will construction and trust reformation cases.
  • Disputes between heirs in intestacy and testacy proceedings (with and without a last will and testament).
  • Problems concerning the performance of a fiduciary in any capacity.
  • Resolving family disagreements about the competency of an elderly parent or loved one or the decisions made under a power of attorney.
  • Disputes concerning the ownership of particular assets, between estates, trusts, gift transferees or joint tenants.
  • A guardian or conservator misappropriating or mismanaging an elder person's money.
  • A vulnerable adult coerced or influenced by a nearby family member or friend to write a will or change a will to exclude legal heirs from receiving their fair share of an estate.
  • An executor of an estate in probate handling the probate process improperly, failing to provide an accurate accounting of assets, or failing to distribute money and property promptly.
  • A trustee mismanaging a fund or breaching his or her fiduciary duty by failing to act in the best interest of the heir, or the trustee committing fraud, misappropriating funds or failing to properly account for and distribute assets.

Different time zones can create confusion and difficulty, we go the extra mile to ensure needed information is on hand and available. When necessary, we work with forensic accountants and CPAs to locate assets, bank accounts, and protect our clients.

 Our use of technology means that you can stay just as fully engaged and informed about your case from anywhere in the world just as effectively as you would in Detroit or Oakland County. We may be able to resolve your problem on favorable terms without the need for you to return to Michigan at all.

 Our attorney can act as your representative in probate court. Your rights as an heir or your responsibilities as a personal representative need not be compromised simply because you live far away from southeast Michigan, nor will you find yourself shuttling back and forth to sign papers or appear for routine court hearings.

For answers to questions regarding these issues and how an out-of-state individual can participate in a loved one's Michigan Probate — call our southeast Michigan Law Office in Royal Oak or contact us online with a brief description of your concerns.

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