Will/Trust Contests

We are experienced litigators in the areas of disputes, controversies and contests involving wills, trusts, estates, guardianships and related matters. Those cases may have to do with breach of fiduciary duties, over-reaching, financial manipulation, fraud, duress, tortious interference with expectancies and matters related thereto.

Estate Settlement

We have been handling estate settlement matters for decades, including independent administration, supervised administration, probate and non-probate, including representation of Executors, Administrators, beneficiaries, and others, the preparation and filing of estate settlement documents, including admitting wills to probate, obtaining Letters of Office, having First and Final Account and Reports approved by the Court and matters related thereto.

Guardianships

We have experience and expertise in the areas of routine and non-routine guardianships, including objections to guardianships of the person, objection to guardianships of the estate, removal of guardians for various reasons, requesting the Court to appoint guardians of the person and estates, representing guardians in regard to annual accounts and matters related thereto.

Power of Attorneys

We have been preparing Power of Attorneys for years, including durable power of attorneys, living wills, healthcare power of attorneys, property power of attorneys, limited power of attorneys and we have experience in regard to removal or revocation of power of attorneys, and appointments of power of attorneys independently or through the Court.

Elder Law

We have been dealing with elder law issues for years, including relating to estates, trusts, guardianships, power of attorneys and other matters. Our experience has necessarily involved issues relating to old-age, senility, alzheimer and physical and mental disabilities.

(CONFIDENTIAL) ESTATE –– BREESE (CLINTON COUNTY), ILLINOIS. As Illinois estate lawyers, we were hired by family members in regard to the (Confidential) Estate in Clinton County, Illinois. That case involved shareholders of closely held corporations and buy-out disputes and related issues concerning shareholders who were descendants of the decedent. A Clinton County, Illinois estate planning attorneywas involved in that proceeding. Our client received a substantial settlement in the Fourth Judicial Circuit, Illinois proceeding.

(CONFIDENTIAL) –– MT. VERNON (JEFFERSON COUNTY), ILLINOIS. As Illinois trust contest attorneys, we were involved in a Jefferson County, Illinois, case which involved contested trust and estate issues in regard to the “Estate“. This case also involved Mt. Vernon, Illinois estate administration attorneys, Centralia, Illinois trust contest lawyers, and a Marion, Illinois, trust administration lawyer.There was a resolution in that Second Judicial Circuit, Illinois proceeding. That involved in excess of $10,000,000.00.

(CONFIDENTIAL) ESTATE –– COULTERVILLE (RANDOLPH COUNTY), ILLINOIS. As St. Clair County, Illinois estate attorneys, we were involved in the (Confidential) Estate in Randolph County, Illinois.Issues in that case included conflicts or potential conflicts of interest, claims of creditors in regard to the estate, and the personal representative and other matters. A Randolph County, Illinois, estate administration attorney was involved in that proceeding. There was in excess of $1,000,000.00 of farmland at stake and estate administration was handled through the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, Illinois.

(CONFIDENTIAL) ESTATE –– WHITEHALL (GREENE COUNTY), ILLINOIS. As Belleville probate and Illinois will/trust contest attorneys, we were involved in the (Confidential) Estate in Greene County, Illinois. That case included matters involving admission of a copy of a Will to probate. A Carrolton, Illinoisprobate attorney and a Jacksonville, Illinois will contest attorney were involved in that proceeding.

(CONFIDENTIAL) ESTATE –– JERSEYVILLE (JERSEY COUNTY), ILLINOIS. As St. Clair County, Illinois estate attorneys, we were hired for representation in the (Confidential) Estate in Jersey County, Illinois. Issues in that proceeding included wills with trust provisions relating to farmland, transfers of real estate prior to date of death and other matters. A Jerseyville probate attorney in Jersey County, Illinois was involved in that proceeding.Farmland worth more than $1,000,000.00 was involved in the Seventh Judicial Circuit, Illinois proceeding.

(CONFIDENTIAL) ESTATE –– HIGHLAND (MADISON COUNTY), ILLINOIS. As Metro East probate lawyers, we were involved in the (Confidential) Estate in Madison County, Illinois. That case involved five (5) siblings who never married and had no children, and who left the bulk of their estates to their surviving siblings with disputes involving St. Joseph’s Hospital in Highland, Illinois and St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Highland, Illinois. A Edwardsville, Illinois estate lawyers and Granite City, Illinois estate attorneys were involved in that proceeding.There was more than $2,000,000.00 in farmland in bank accounts involved in the Third Judicial Circuit, Edwardsville, Illinois proceeding.

(CONFIDENTIAL) CASE –– WATERLOO (MONROE COUNTY), ILLINOIS. As St. Clair County, Illinois will/trust contest attorneys, we were involved in the (Confidential) Estate in Monroe County, Illinois.This case had to do with the disinheritance of certain family members by the decedent. A St. Louis, Missouri probate law firm was involved in that proceeding.There was trust litigation in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit, Illinois in Waterloo.

(CONFIDENTIAL) ESTATE –– GRANITE CITY (MADISON COUNTY), ILLINOIS. As Belleville, Illinois estate lawyers, we were involved in the (Confidential) case in Madison County, Illinois. Issues included the sale of a dental practice. Granite City probate attorneys were involved in that proceeding. Estate Administrationoccurred through the Third Judicial Circuit, Edwardsville, Illinois proceeding.

(CONFIDENTIAL) ESTATE –– NASHVILLE (WASHINGTON COUNTY), ILLINOIS. As attorneys handling probate cases in Washington County, Illinois, we were involved in issues concerning the (Confidential) Estate in Washington County, Illinois. In that matter, there were disputes regarding estate planning documents and transfers of real estate. A Marion County, Illinois will/trust law firm in Centralia, Illinois and Jefferson County, Illinois probate law firm in Mt. Vernon, Illinois were involved in that matter.There was substantial value regarding farmland involved in the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court, Illinoisproceeding in Nashville, Illinois.

(CONFIDENTIAL) ESTATE –– SALEM (MARION COUNTY), ILLINOIS. As Metro East, Illinois will/trust attorneys, we were involved in the (Confidential) Estate in Marion County, Illinois. There was an issue regarding influence of an individual attempting to take over representation from a corporate fiduciary. A St. Clair County, Illinois probate law firm in O‘‘Fallon, Illinois, was involved in that proceeding. Administration occurred in Fourth Judicial Circuit Court, Salem, Illinois.

(CONFIDENTIAL) CASE –– RED BUD (RANDOLPH COUNTY), ILLINOIS. As Belleville, Illinois probate attorneys, we were involved in the (Confidential) guardianship proceeding. In that case, there was litigation in Chester, Illinois, in regard to guardianship and a related divorce proceeding. A Chester, Illinoisprobate lawyer and St. Clair County, Illinois, estate attorneys in Belleville, Illinois were involved in those proceedings. There was in excess of $1,000,000.00 involved in that Twentieth Judicial Circuit, Illinois estate proceeding in Red Bud, Illinois.

(CONFIDENTIAL) CASE –– BELLEVILLE (ST. CLAIR COUNTY), ILLINOIS. As St. Clair County, Illinois estate attorneys we were involved in the (Confidential) Estate. Issues included various changes to estate planning documents of an elderly person prior to her death. St. Clair County, Illinois estate attorneys inBelleville, Illinois and Belleville, Illinois probate attorneys were involved in that proceeding.There was more than $1,000,000.00 involved in that trust and estate administration proceeding in Twentieth Judicial Circuit, Illinois.

AV Rating

Blake Law Group, P.C. has received an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, the most trusted and respected service for rating attorneys in the United States. The AV rating is the highest possible rating for legal abilities and reputation by other lawyers.

Referrals

We often receive referrals from other attorneys who may not practice, at least to the extent we do, in regard to certain areas of the law, including complex will and trust matters. As a result, this has increased our volume of cases and expertise in this area of the law.

We have been involved in various legal matters in numerous counties throughout Illinois, including Bond County, Clay County, Clinton County, Effingham County, Fayette County, Franklin County, Green County, Hamilton County, Jackson County, Jefferson County, Jersey County, Johnson County, Macoupin County, Madison County, Marion County, Monroe County, Perry County, Randolph County, St. Clair County, Salem County, Union County, Washington County, Wayne County, White County, Williamson County, Edwards County and including cities such as Belleville, Edwardsville, Collinsville, Alton, Carlyle, Greenville, Vandalia, Bloomington, Springfield, Vienna, Pinckneyville, Nashville, Jerseyville, Carrollton, McLeansboro, Carmi, Marion and Carbondale.