How Will The Probate Court Decided My Case If I Have A Copy Of The Will But Not The Original Copy Of My Aunt's Will?

[SuzzieQ]

When aunt died, my mom and my other aunt was listed in the Will as the heirs and the Will stated if anyone else contest the will they would only receive a dollar. The problem is we could not get a original copy of the death certificate because vital records office in my city said that my mom was not the daughter, son, or husband of the deceased therefore they only could give her a death letter. The courts would not accept the death letter and the courts also wanted my mom to list all the possible heirs. My mom and my aunt was very sick so they both did not want to pursue getting the Will prorated by the court. At the time I knew my deceased aunt had tax returns that needed to be done and I knew that the nursing home my deceased aunt stayed in owe my deceased aunt estate money because she overpaid. I gave the will back to my mom and I do not know what she did with it. My other aunt died two years later after the first aunt, my mom died last year. I went looking for my first aunts Will and could not find it in the house. I really thank that my mom threw it out. When I was trying to get my mom to take care if it the first time, I email the Will to the court with the death letter so I found a copy of the Will in old email from three years ago. I did get an original copy of my first aunt death certificate; I asked the funeral home if they could get me of copy of my first aunt's death certificate during the funeral proceedings of my second aunt. By that time I could not find the original Will. So, How will the probate court decide what to do?

[factor-fiction]

Are you in the UK or US?
Was the emailed copy of the will a signed will?

[SuzzieQ]

I am in the US.

[SuzzieQ]

I am in the US and yes it is a signed will.

[factor-fiction]

We have a number of experts in this area but relating primarily to UK laws -I'm not sure we have any experts on legal matters in the US.

[atalanta]

Do you remember if the will was drawn up by a legal professional ? If so, you can go back to that person or company and ask them to check their records. If not, you may have to advertise in local newspapers in the area where the testator lived to see if any law company drew up the will. Or else you have to telephone every company which might have done so. If it was privately drawn up, you may have little chance of ever convincing any court that a valid will ever existed. An unsigned copy of a will is unlikely to be accepted. After all, it could have been written by anybody.