Probate Attorney in Columbus, OH
When you are settling a loved one’s estate, you need more than legal expertise-you need someone who understands what you are going through. We guide executors, trustees, beneficiaries, and families through probate and estate administration with clarity, compassion, and experienced legal support.
Award-Winning Probate Attorneys
Success Stories
Discover how we’ve supported families and fiduciaries through the complexities of probate and estate administration with care and expertise. From guiding executors and trustees in fulfilling their legal responsibilities to resolving disputes and ensuring the smooth transfer of assets, our success stories reflect our commitment to providing clarity and peace of mind during difficult times.
Explore our Success Stories to see how we’ve helped clients navigate probate efficiently, protect family legacies, and honor the wishes of their loved ones.
Success Story
Establishing a Charitable Trust for Philanthropic Goals
The Problem
A charitably included high-net-worth client wanted to establish a legacy of philanthropy while receiving tax benefits. The client also held marketable securities with a low-income tax basis that would result in a significant long-term capital gains tax if the securities were sold.
Our Solution
Our attorney designed a charitable remainder trust, allowing the client to support their favorite causes while smoothing out the capital gains tax over the client’s lifetime.
The client achieved their philanthropic goals, reduced their tax burden, and established a lasting legacy. Learn more about our Estate & Wealth Planning Services.
Success Story
Special Needs Trust for Long-Term Care and Asset Protection
The Problem
A family’s special needs child was named as a beneficiary in her uncle’s last will and testament. That inheritance, while a generous gift from the uncle, threatened the special needs child’s continuing eligibility for necessary governmental benefits.
Our Solution
Our attorney created a tailored special needs trust to receive the child’s inheritance, ensuring financial security without disrupting benefit eligibility.
The family gained peace of mind knowing the child’s future needs were met through a sustainable and protected structure.
Learn more about our Estate & Wealth Planning Services.
Success Story
Succession Planning for Business Owner
The Problem
Business owners faced difficulty planning for the future of their business, including succession and tax-related concerns.
Our Solution
Our Attorney helped the business owners navigate the discussion of planning for the future of the business with different owners, developing a succession plan utilizing Buy-Sell Agreements, life insurance, and estate planning.
Clients made a plan for the future of the business and were able to fund it with various resources. Learn more about our Business, Estate Planning, and Taxation Services.
How We Help
Our probate attorneys handle a wide range of matters tied to estate administration, court proceedings, and fiduciary responsibilities.
Estate Administration
We help guide executors, trustees, family members, and beneficiaries through that process with clear legal support.
Estate Administration
We represent fiduciaries, beneficiaries, heirs, and other interested parties in contested probate and trust matters, helping clients resolve disagreements over administration, distributions, or a fiduciary’s conduct.
Will Contests
We help clients evaluate the issue, explain their options, and guide the matter through probate court-whether they’re challenging a will’s validity or defending it against a challenge.
Probate Mediation
When disputes arise during probate, mediation can offer a faster, less adversarial path to resolution. We help clients work through disagreements outside of a courtroom whenever that’s a realistic option.
Guardianships of the Estate
We help families seek the appointment of a guardian and navigate the ongoing responsibilities that follow.
Stepparent Adoption
We help clients understand the legal steps involved and move the process forward when adoption is part of the next chapter for the family.
Complex Estate Administration
We help clients manage more complex administrations with thoughtful legal guidance and a steady, organized process.
How We’ll Work Together
You are likely doing this for the first time, during a hard season. We will walk you through it step by step, at a pace that makes sense for your family. Probate is different from estate to estate, but most matters follow the same general path.
Initial Consultation
We start by reviewing the facts, the will if one exists, the key people involved, and the assets or concerns already known. We also talk through your role and what the court process may require.
Opening the Estate
We help prepare and file the documents needed to begin probate and seek appointment of the executor or administrator.
Administration
Once the estate is open, we help guide the fiduciary through the work involved in administration. That may include identifying assets, addressing debts, communicating with beneficiaries, preparing required filings, and working through court procedures.
Distribution and Closing
After obligations are addressed, we help move the estate toward distribution and closing so the matter can be completed properly and efficiently.
Every estate is different. The timeline depends on the assets involved, whether disputes arise, whether tax issues are present, and how complex the administration becomes.
Why Families and Fiduciaries Choose CPM
Clear Guidance Through the Process
We help executors, trustees, and family members understand what needs to happen and what their responsibilities are.
Support for Complex Matters
From straightforward estate administration to estates involving businesses, real estate, and family conflict, CPM helps clients move forward with more clarity.
Practical Help for Fiduciaries
We help executors and trustees understand their role, meet deadlines, and reduce risk along the way.
Rooted in Central Ohio
With offices in Columbus and Dublin, CPM serves families and fiduciaries throughout Central Ohio with responsive legal counsel and local experience.
Grandview Yard
950 Goodale Blvd., 200, Columbus, OH 43212
614.228.6135
614.221.0216 (fax)
Talk With a Probate Attorney in Central OH
Losing someone you love is hard enough without also trying to understand probate court. You do not have to figure it out alone.
Probate & Estate Administration: Frequently Asked Questions
+What does a probate attorney do?
A probate attorney helps guide executors, administrators, trustees, beneficiaries, and family members through the legal process of administering an estate. That may include court filings, fiduciary guidance, asset review, creditor issues, distributions, and closing the estate.
+Do I need a probate attorney if I am the executor?
Many executors benefit from legal guidance because probate involves deadlines, court procedures, notices, distributions, and fiduciary responsibilities that can be difficult to manage without counsel.
+How does probate start in Ohio?
Probate usually begins when the appropriate documents are filed with the probate court in the county where the decedent lived. The court then appoints an executor or administrator to handle the estate.
+How long does probate take?
That depends on the complexity of the estate, the types of assets involved, whether disputes arise, and whether tax issues need to be resolved. Some estates move relatively quickly, while others take much longer.
+Do all estates go through probate?
Not always. Whether probate is required depends on how assets were owned, whether beneficiary designations exist, and what property remains in the decedent’s individual name.
+What happens if there is no will?
If there is no will, the estate may still need to go through probate. The court will appoint an administrator, and Ohio law will control how the estate is distributed.
+Can family members challenge a will?
Yes. In some situations, a will may be challenged based on concerns about validity, undue influence, capacity, or other legal issues. If a dispute arises, it is important to get legal guidance early.
+What if the estate includes a business or real estate?
Estates involving business interests, commercial property, or multiple real estate assets are often more complex and may require more detailed administration, valuation work, and coordination.
+Who pays probate costs and attorney fees?
Costs and fees are generally paid from estate assets, though the specifics depend on the matter and court requirements.
+Do you handle probate matters in Columbus and Dublin?
Yes. CPM serves clients from offices in Columbus and Dublin and works with families and fiduciaries throughout Central Ohio.
+How do I find a probate attorney near me in Columbus or Dublin?
CPM has offices in Columbus (Grandview Yard) and Dublin, Ohio, so you can meet in person with a probate attorney close to your family — or start with a consultation by phone or video if that’s easier.
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