Northern California Trust Lawsuits: Seeking a Better Outcome

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Dec. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Hackard Law attorneys represent trustees, beneficiaries and heirs in trust and estate lawsuits.  We give due regard to Abraham Lincoln's advice: "Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can."  We give special regard to empowering our clients' decision making.

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Compromise is an art not easily practiced and must be handled with care. Early efforts can be tough, as parties neither want to be bullied nor show weakness. Establishing client trust and credibility with our opponents is an initial and continuing task. Instead of starting a barroom brawl, "speaking softly and carrying a big stick" is the optimal approach.

Trust disputes generally start with the loss of a family member and the discovery of wrongdoing. Loss can occur while living – isolation, theft, physical and financial abuse are possible factors. Discovery occurs at death: looted bank accounts, theft of valuables, closed safe deposit boxes, and transfers of real estate.

Signs of a cover-up can surface at funeral and memorial services. Wrongdoers commit their acts under the cloak of darkness. Hackard Law is usually engaged when secrets are revealed – when lies become evident – and family members are frozen out of the information loop.

Trusts and estate timelines are critical. Early on in the trust and estate process, mistrust among all parties is common. Rumors abound, information gets shared and alliances can shift. Our task is to conduct interviews, hire investigators, and work to prevent a "meltdown." Trust litigation can have alternate endings, and it's our job to work constructively with our clients toward the better ending. 

Once interests have been fully identified and clients have been fully engaged, the parameters of a settlement can be structured. No one may get absolutely everything they want, as many recognize that litigation can be destructive. Compromise might be an art not easily practiced, but it is an art honed by experience. At Hackard Law, we use that experience to work with our clients in securing a better outcome.

About Hackard Law 

Hackard Law is a Professional Law Corporation that focuses on transactional and litigation matters. Michael A. Hackard is the principal attorney of Hackard Law. He has been a top rated "AV" lawyer for over 20 years.

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