Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Call us first. If we can help, we will. If we can't, we'll point you in the right direction.

A consultation is $185, paid in advance to reserve your time.

No. While we're proud to call Lincoln Parish home, we serve clients throughout Louisiana.

Any documents related to your situation — contracts, letters, court papers, existing wills, anything that feels relevant. If you're not sure, bring it anyway.

A succession is the legal process in Louisiana for distributing a deceased person's property to their heirs.

A testate succession happens when the deceased left a valid will. An intestate succession happens when they didn't — Louisiana law then decides who inherits, following a fixed order.

Broadly speaking (there are exceptions and conditions), Louisiana law requires that certain heirs — typically young children, or children with a disability — receive a portion of an estate, regardless of what a will says.

Usufruct is the right to use and benefit from property without owning it outright. Often, a surviving spouse holds usufruct over a deceased spouse's property for their lifetime, while ownership belongs to the children.

No. Under Louisiana law, a succession must be filed through the court — even if the family agrees on how everything should be divided.

Not necessarily. Smaller, simpler estates may qualify for a faster, less formal path. The best way to know which applies to your family is to talk it through with us.

Louisiana law decides who inherits your property, following a fixed order that may not match what you'd actually want for your family.

A Power of Attorney lets someone you trust make financial or medical decisions on your behalf. A Living Will / Advance Directive specifically puts your own medical wishes in writing ahead of time, for situations where you can't communicate them yourself.

Common moments: a new child or grandchild, a divorce or remarriage, or simply realizing it's been years since you last thought about it.