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Guide to Pennsylvania Living WillsA living will is a legally binding set of instructions on what to do with a patient who is terminally ill, permanently unconscious or otherwise unresponsive to their environment and unable to make their wishes known. Though there is no standard government template for a living will that must be followed to create a legally valid document, there..

Guide to Tennessee Living WillsA living will is a legally binding document that goes into effect when a seriously ill person can no longer express their wishes. Since 2004, Tennessee’s Health Department has provided a detailed form, known as an “Advance Care Plan,” which patients can complete without the help of an advisor to make their wishes known. Patients may or ..

Living wills stipulate what procedures should be taken if a patient becomes terminally ill and is no longer capable of making medical decisions on their own. In Texas, there are four types of documents that apply:• The “directive to the physician” states what steps are to be taken if you are terminally ill and are not expected to live more than six months• A “do not r..

Guide to Virginia Living WillLiving wills are used when a person has fallen terminally ill and is unable to communicate their wishes. Virginia’s government provides a detailed form that can be used as the backbone of a legally binding document, to which as much additional information as the patient sees fit can be added.The first part of this “advance directive” form allo..

The Basics of a Wisconsin Living WillBy law, in the state of Wisconsin, it is actually legal for a resident to write up what the state terms as a Declaration to Physicians, sometimes better known as a Wisconsin ‘Living Will.’What Exactly Is a Wisconsin Living Will?The Department of Health Services for the state of Wisconsin essentially allows any resident the right to have ..

A Short Introduction to Massachusetts Probate CourtsMassachusetts probate courts are located at the county seat in every county in Massachusetts, but many state residents are unfamiliar with their workings, an unfortunate situation considering their incredible importance in civil and public life. A citizen will need to go to a Massachusetts probate court to insure that a will i..

A Brief Introduction Missouri Probate CourtsMissouri probate courts deal with the distribution of a person’s property after their death. A bad reputation is often attributed to Missouri probate courts because they can be costly and a hassle, but unfortunately not much can be done to avoid them in most situations in which a loved one dies. A common belief is that wills avoid a..

A Brief Introduction to New Hampshire Probate CourtsNew Hampshire Probate Courts distribute a person’s property after their death and deal with any issues of legal guardianship or conservatorship as well. They’re convenient—there is a New Hampshire Probate Court located with every circuit court in each county seat—but potentially costly and time-consuming. Thankfully, t..

Guide to New York Living WillsLiving wills are legally binding documents which stipulate the steps that should be taken if the person signing off is terminally ill, permanently unconscious or otherwise near death and unable to communicate their wishes. There is no legislatively mandated form a living will must take in New York. To be legally binding, this kind of document must ..

A Brief Guide to New York Probate CourtThere’s no such thing as a New York Probate Court. That is because New York is alone in the states of the union to call its Probate Court “Surrogate’s Court,” as in the court deciding another’s affairs as a surrogate for the other person. However, don’t let this name make you believe that individuals have no say in the New York..

Guide to Ohio living willsA living will guides physicians in treating a person who is terminally ill, in a coma or otherwise near death and unable to make their wishes known. For this document to take effect, two physicians must agree that the person is past the point of recovery and is expected to die soon. Patients can specify:• Whether they wish for procedures such as CPR ..

A Brief Guide to the Ohio Probate CourtOver two hundred different duties are placed upon the Ohio Probate Court, from adoptions to name changes to living wills. The most important, however, is probate, which is the process of determining what happens to a person’s property after their death. Many people are unfamiliar with Ohio Probate Courts, which is unfortunate, because as..

Estate planning is essential to ensure that an individual's estate is divided and distributed as desired, following his/her death. When planning an estate, an individual must organize and provide some fundamental information regarding his/her assets. He/she will be required to detail all of his/her assets, including his/her real estate, personal property, financial investments,..

What is Probate Law?After an individual dies, the legal title (ownership) of their property and assets must be legally transferred to the beneficiaries listed in their Will. If the deceased individual did not construct a Will, the beneficiaries will be designated by state law. This process—regardless of the presence of an active will-- is referred to as Probate. Pro..

  A Brief Guide to South Carolina Probate Courts     South Carolina Probate Courts are conveniently located in the county seat of each South Carolina county. They also care for a number of important issues, such as estate probate, guardianships, conservatorships, and involuntary commitments to mental institutions. Yet convenient is seldom the word..