Estate Litigation Attorney in Columbia

Family-Centered Advocacy for Contested Estates

Questions about a will, trust, personal representative, or distribution can turn estate administration into a formal legal dispute. You may need to challenge a document or fiduciary decision, defend an estate plan, request an accounting, or protect a beneficiary whose interests haven’t been recognized. An estate litigation attorney can assess the governing documents, explain the applicable Maryland probate procedure, and help you determine what to do next.

At Family Legal Advocacy Group, LLC, we represent clients in contested estates and related family disputes. From our office in Columbia, Maryland, we serve families in Howard County and across central Maryland. Our broader practice in family law, guardianship, custody, and child welfare gives us a valuable perspective when an estate conflict affects children, vulnerable adults, or relatives whose relationships will continue after the case.

Call (410) 884-0400 or schedule a consultation online to discuss your estate dispute and next steps.

Will Contests, Trust Disputes & Fiduciary Claims

Estate litigation often begins with a sense that something about an estate plan or its administration isn’t right. You might believe that a will doesn’t reflect your loved one’s intentions, that assets aren’t being managed properly, or that a personal representative isn’t providing required information. We help clients evaluate whether those concerns support formal action and also assist parties who need to defend a will, trust, fiduciary, or proposed distribution.

Challenges to Wills & Codicils

A will contest may question whether a will or codicil, which is a document that changes an existing will, is legally valid. Potential grounds can include lack of testamentary capacity, meaning the person didn’t understand the document and its effect when it was signed, as well as undue influence, fraud, or improper execution. Disputes can also arise when relatives present competing wills or disagree about whether a later document revoked an earlier one.

These cases can be particularly difficult in blended families or second marriages, where expectations about an inheritance may conflict. The strength of a challenge depends on the documents, witness testimony, medical or capacity-related evidence, timing, and circumstances surrounding the creation or revision of the estate plan.

Trust & Beneficiary Disputes

We also address disagreements about how trustees interpret or apply trust terms. A beneficiary may question delayed distributions, incomplete information, asset management, self-dealing, or whether the trustee is following the governing document. Other disputes require a court to interpret ambiguous language or determine whether a beneficiary’s interests have been handled properly.

Personal Representative Conduct & Estate Accounts

A personal representative is responsible for administering an estate under Maryland law and the applicable estate documents. Disputes may involve requests for accountings, objections to estate accounts, disagreements over distributions, or allegations that the fiduciary placed personal interests ahead of the estate. The appropriate response depends on the conduct at issue, the estate’s procedural history, and the relief being requested.

Estate litigation can intersect with guardianship, third-party custody, or child welfare concerns. For example, relatives may disagree about who should manage inherited property for a minor child or how an estate decision affects a vulnerable adult. Our work in guardianship, custody, child welfare, and special education advocacy allows us to consider these connected issues in a coordinated way.

Maryland Probate & Caveat Proceedings

Maryland estate disputes can involve proceedings before the Orphans’ Court, the Register of Wills, or another court with jurisdiction over the requested relief. In Howard County, a Circuit Court judge sits as the Orphans’ Court for probate proceedings. The court may address issues involving the validity of a will or codicil, the appointment or removal of a personal representative, estate claims, heir or beneficiary disputes, and administration accounts.

A caveat proceeding is the formal process used to challenge a will’s validity. Under the Maryland Estates and Trusts Article, a verified petition to caveat a will generally must be filed within six months after the first appointment of a personal representative under that will. Different statutory rules may apply when a later will is offered or other circumstances affect the filing period, so this general information isn’t a substitute for advice about a particular estate.

We start with an education-first mindset. Our attorneys take time to explain how Maryland probate and Orphans’ Court procedures work, what claims may be available, and what risks might come with filing or defending an action. The correct forum, deadline, and requested remedy depend on the dispute and what has already occurred in the estate.

Education-First Estate Litigation in Columbia

Estate disputes affect both finances and long-term family relationships. When you hire an estate litigation lawyer in Columbia, you need trial-ready advocacy and sensitivity to the conflict’s emotional weight.

Education, Resolution & Trial Preparation

Our attorneys provide clear information in everyday language so you can decide how to proceed with an understanding of the possible outcomes. We review the factual and procedural issues, discuss the practical effects of each option, and prepare for the possibility that a judge may need to decide the matter.

Whenever appropriate, we use tools such as negotiation and mediation to explore solutions that avoid a drawn-out trial. Clients often appreciate the chance to resolve disputes in a setting that feels less adversarial, particularly when they’ll remain in contact with relatives after the case ends. At the same time, we prepare each matter with the expectation that it may be presented in court.

Our firm is led by Michael Katz and Sarah Novak Nesbitt. Sarah Novak Nesbitt has received Rising Star and Super Lawyer honors, and our team includes attorneys with Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent peer review recognition. These distinctions relate to our attorneys’ professional standing and broader advocacy experience rather than a promise about the outcome of an estate dispute.

Because our practice is grounded in matters affecting families, we are particularly attentive to how estate decisions affect children. In cases involving minor beneficiaries, special needs children, or educational concerns, we draw on our background in child custody, child welfare, and special education advocacy to keep their needs central to strategy discussions.

Preparing for an Estate Litigation Consultation

If you’re in the middle of a disagreement about a will, trust, or estate administration, begin by preserving the available documents and recording important dates. Early preparation can help our attorneys determine whether the issue concerns a will contest, fiduciary duty, accounting objection, trust interpretation, guardianship, or another type of proceeding.

Gather any wills, codicils, trusts, account statements, and written communications from the Register of Wills or a court. Preserve original documents rather than marking or altering them. Medical records, caregiver communications, and messages concerning how or why an estate document was created or changed may also be relevant when capacity or undue influence is disputed.

It’s helpful to avoid making firm promises or threats to relatives before you understand your legal position. Emotions understandably run high after a death, and early statements can sometimes make resolution harder later. Speaking with an estate litigation attorney before taking a formal position can clarify what options may be available.

Practical steps you can take right away include:

• Collecting estate planning documents, financial records, and court or Register of Wills correspondence
• Writing down a timeline that includes document-signing dates, the personal representative’s appointment, notices received, and when concerns first arose
• Listing the beneficiaries, heirs, fiduciaries, caregivers, witnesses, and advisors who may have relevant information
• Preserving emails, text messages, account information, and capacity-related records without editing or discarding them

Maryland law sets deadlines for certain estate challenges. Because the applicable timeline can turn on the type of filing and what has already happened in probate, prompt legal review is important. Bring any notice showing an appointment, filing, hearing, or response date to your consultation.

Family-Centered Advocacy for Estate Cases

When a contested estate threatens financial security and family relationships, clients need a team that understands the human impact of litigation, not just the legal issues. Families choose Family Legal Advocacy Group, LLC because our work centers on supporting children and families through significant transitions.

Our firm was founded on a multidisciplinary model that combines law, education, and psychology. This allows us to approach questions about mental capacity, vulnerability, and family dynamics with a broader lens. In estate disputes that involve allegations of undue influence or decisions affecting special needs beneficiaries, this perspective can be especially valuable.

With our headquarters in Columbia, we serve clients in Howard, Baltimore, Montgomery, and surrounding Maryland counties. We explain the procedural steps, options, and potential consequences that apply to the individual dispute rather than making assumptions based only on the family conflict.

Get Clarity About Your Estate Dispute

If you’re facing a contested will, trust dispute, fiduciary concern, or disagreement over estate administration, an individualized review can help you understand the procedure, deadlines, and options that may apply.

We assist families with estate litigation and related family law matters. Whether the dispute calls for negotiation, mediation, or a contested hearing, we provide education-first guidance and prepare for court when a judicial decision is necessary.

Speak with an estate litigation attorney in Columbia before taking formal action or allowing a deadline to pass. Call (410) 884-0400 or contact us online to schedule a confidential consultation.