Estate responsibilities?

[travelagentLori]

Jurisdiction

North Dakota

I was informed that my "Dad" passed. He was not legally related to me, however as far as we know he had no surviving children and was estranged from his siblings who are still alive. I had a power of attorney, but do not know where my copy is and his is likely to be in his home (3 states away) While we had no legal relationship I was known locally to be his daughter and my children are his grandchildren. I and my adult daughter were his emergency contacts. What are my responsibilities and what am I required to do in the process of finalizing his estate and where do I even start, I am looking into probate attorneys, but I am not sure I have the right to do so. I am attempting to contact any remaning blood relatives but its not going well. Thank you for any direction.

 

[adjusterjack]

I was informed that my "Dad" passed

Condolences.

I had a power of attorney,

Useless since the moment of his passing.

While we had no legal relationship I was known locally to be his daughter and my children are his grandchildren. I and my adult daughter were his emergency contacts. What are my responsibilities and what am I required to do in the process of finalizing his estate and where do I even start, I am looking into probate attorneys, but I am not sure I have the right to do so.

By "no legal relationship" I conclude that you were raised as his daughter without any adoption.

That gives you no legal rights and no legal obligations unless you were named in his will or were named as beneficiary on his accounts.

That he was "estranged" from his siblings is meaningless in probate law. With no surviving spouse and no natural or adopted children, the siblings inherit under intestacy unless, again, there is a will or beneficiary accounts that say otherwise.

What are my responsibilities

None

what am I required to do in the process of finalizing his estate

Nothing.

You certainly have the option of going to the local probate court in the county where he died and asking to be appointed representative of the estate.

But before you do that, answer these questions:

1 - Who took care of the funeral?
2 - Who went to his home and cleaned it out?
3 - Who notified you of his death?
4 - What's been done with his estate so far? Did he have a will? You can contact the local probate court in the county where he died and find out if probate has been opened. If it has, it will be public record and you should be able to get a copy of the file.

My guess is that the "estranged" siblings are already all over this if there is anything of value to smell.