One the main concerns that those who are asked to serve as executors to estates in Woodland Hills may have is dealing with the debts that a decedent leaves behind. The roles of the executor include identifying any outstanding liabilities and ensure that they are paid out of the estate’s assets. In the search for any debts that a deceased person still may owe, the issue of whether or not a debt account is actually valid may arise. If such a dispute does surface, the estate could become the target of a lawsuit from the creditor in question.
Such is the case with a London legal firm that recently filed a lawsuit here in United Kingdom against the estate of the former musical icon Michael Jackson. The firm claims to have provided Jackson with legal advice regarding business interests he had in the United Kingdom immediately prior to his death. Firm representatives say that they did file a creditor’s claim for the more than $200,000 they say that they were owed back in 2009. However, repeated requests to the executors of Jackson’s estate were said to have been met with skepticism. Now, they are seeking the original amount owed along with interest and compensation for the legal fees associated with the lawsuit. Representatives of the Jackson estate claim the debt to be invalid and have stated their intention to challenge the lawsuit.
As an executor, one certainly would want to ensure that the estate he or she oversees is not left with any outstanding liabilities. At the same time, he or she also has the right to challenge any claims believed to be invalid. Settling or challenging debt claims to an estate may be much easier if one has the assistance of an estate attorney.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter “Michael Jackson Estate Sued Over Legal Fees” Cullins, Ashley, Mar. 23, 2016
