A Family Tree with Countless Branches

How can legal professionals satisfy the courts when the extent of a decedent’s family is unknown?

When a New York-based attorney enlisted us to help notify the decedent’s relatives of the probate petition, the task seemed straightforward. But as it unfolded, it was clear that a deeper lineal search was needed to satisfy the attorney’s executor obligations.

After our initial research, which encompassed locating, proving, and reporting parents, siblings, and half-siblings of the decedent, the case expanded in scope for HeirSearch to conduct a thorough lineal investigation of the decedent. What had been discovered in the search up to that point caused the court to order more research on the lineal descendants.

During our investigations, we located a series of additional family members:

• Two alleged children (one living, one deceased)
• One alleged granddaughter (living)
• Two half-blood siblings (both deceased)
• And two half-blood nieces (one deceased and one living)

Upon presenting our initial results, the court requested further research for an unnamed individual — an alleged grand-nephew of the half-blood. Our response to the request included many sources, of which none returned matching records.

After the exhaustive research, our affidavit of search results was successfully delivered to the court.

Disclaimer: Although accurate in scope, all identifying information such as names, dates and locations have been changed in order to protect the privacy of individuals.
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