03/01/2024
How to save money!
When electing a person, for any position it is important to get the right person for the job. How we decide who is the best person will vary. Much of the time, we think, "How will this person, if elected, help me financially?"
I will provide a few reasons how I can help save you money if elected Probate Judge.
1. The Rules of Civil Procedure and the Rules of Evidence apply in Probate Court.
You may wonder why that is important. If evidence is allowed in, or not allowed in, a totally different outcome could be the result. This could be the difference between you receiving an inheritance or not.
2. Once the judge rules on a case and an order is given, the parties can appeal the order from Probate Court. If the Probate Judge is not an attorney, the appeal will go to Circuit Court. At this point, the parties get a do-over and everything starts over. This will cost the estate and the heirs many hours of attorney fees, assets tied up for longer periods of time before distribution, and sometimes the personal representative will have to get a new bond.
If the Probate Judge is an attorney, the appeal will go to the Appeallate Court, not the Circuit Court. This will shorten the time of the appeal process, which results in smaller legal fees. Smaller legal fees will leave more money and assets for the individuals receiving them through the Will.
3. If a party removes the case to Circuit Court, the Circuit Court Judge can hear the case or send it back down to Probate Court. If the Probate Judge is not an attorney, the Circuit Court Judge cannot send it back down to Probate Court. You may wonder why that is important. Often times, attorneys charge more for Circuit Court than for Probate Court resulting in less money for the receiving party.
4. Contempt Powers. A Probate Judge, who is also an attorney, has Contempt Powers. Yes, if found in contempt, a judge could place you in jail. Why is that important? If a person thinks that the judge may place him/her in jail for not telling the truth under oath, the person is more likely to be honest. This can help resolve a case faster and more accurately. This also results in more money left for the receiving party.
Often times, we realize that the time we spend worrying about a case after losing a loved one is time that we would rather be doing something else. We want to hold onto the good memories, but a bad Probate process can be detrimental.
These are just some of the ways that if you elect me as your next Probate Judge, you can save money and time, while knowing that the rule of law has been applied.
The information provided is not a complete list, and there are some exceptions. Thank you for reading this long post. I hope it answered some of your questions.
Remember, get out and VOTE on March 5th and elect Billy Jackson as your next Probate Judge.
Billy
