Probate is the legal process associated with administering the estate of a deceased individual and involves paying all existing debts or taxes and then distributing the remainder of his assets either according to a valid will or probate law (if no will is in place). Probate proceedings are overseen by a probate court, which will be responsible for assessing the validity of a will and, in the event no will is in place, appointing an executor to administer the estate. While there are some ways in which individuals may be able to speed up or even bypass the probate process entirely, there are also some types of property or assets – like life insurance policies or assets protected by certain trusts – that may be exempt from probate proceedings.

However, in general, many small and large estates will have to go through the probate process upon an individual’s death, and having an experienced Denver probate lawyer represent you during such potentially complicated proceedings can ensure that your rights and best interests are fully protected.