Tracing Next of Kin: A Diligent Search for Justice Solving a Complex Probate Puzzle with Expertise

The Challenge
An attorney representing the executor of an estate needed to conduct a diligent search to provide notice to the descendants of the decedent’s grandparents as part of a probate proceeding in the state’s Surrogate Court. The attorney had partial information, including contact details for some distant maternal relatives in France, but lacked critical records, such as the decedent’s birth certificate.

Based on conversations with the maternal relatives, the attorney believed there were no maternal first cousins or first cousins once removed, and therefore no maternal heirs under the state’s law. However, he had no information about the paternal side of the family. The attorney only needed to demonstrate that a thorough investigation had been conducted to identify the next of kin, if any. He contacted HeirSearch to undertake this meticulous search.

Initial Information Provided

The attorney shared the following documentation with us to begin the investigation:

• The decedent’s death certificate.
• The death certificate of the decedent’s predeceased husband.
• Citizenship certificate.
• Marriage license information.
• A partial family tree.
• The names and addresses of contacted paternal relatives.

Our Strategic Approach

We initiated the search by accessing a variety of overseas records, including vital records, court documents, genealogy databases, and other relevant sources. Our investigation focused on both paternal and maternal family lines to establish a complete picture of the decedent’s ancestry.

Paternal Research Findings

We identified the decedent’s paternal grandparents and their nine children, all of whom were deceased, including an infant.

We confirmed that one paternal first cousin had at least seven living children in France. Using this information, we obtained their contact details for the attorney’s use.

Maternal Research Findings

Our research into the maternal grandparents revealed that they had three children, including the decedent’s mother and two unnamed daughters who died at birth in the early 1900s.

We confirmed that the maternal grandfather had mobilized for World War I and died at the front.

The Results

By the conclusion of our research, we had established the following about the decedent’s family tree:

• Two Parents – both deceased.
• Two Paternal Grandparents – both deceased.
• Eight Paternal Aunts and Uncles – all deceased.
• Eleven Paternal First Cousins – eight deceased and three living.
• Two Maternal Grandparents – both deceased.
• Two Maternal Aunts – both deceased.

A Satisfying Conclusion

Armed with this comprehensive information, we shared our initial findings with the attorney. He instructed us to cease further research and prepare an affidavit detailing our discoveries. This included the telephone numbers and addresses of the three living paternal first cousins, which fulfilled his obligation to provide notice.

With our expertise and access to extensive databases, HeirSearch transformed a daunting challenge into a resolved case, ensuring compliance and peace of mind for our client.

If you are an attorney faced with the challenge to provide notice to missing heirs, HeirSearch can help! Our researchers and international resources identify and locate missing or unknown heirs for probate, and we do so efficiently. We work exclusively with executors, administrators, trustees, fiduciaries, bank and trust officers, and their counsel to establish kinship for legal purposes. With our search services, we can help ensure an heir is located and not be a contributing factor to a prolonged estate distribution process.

We offer no-cost, no-obligation consultations, even if you are not planning to start a search right away. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have — we look forward to connecting!

Contact us today or request a quote.

Phone: +1 (800)-663-2255

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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