Probate

Resources for Minnesota probate attorneys, made possible through practicelaw's collaboration with probate attorneys and paralegals from around the state.

• Forms. practicelaw maintains three general categories of probate-related forms:

• practicelaw Forms. A core set of 80+ probate forms for use in the majority of probate matters. Core forms include those used in informal and formal probate proceedings, descent proceedings, subsequent administration proceedings and other miscellaneous probate-related matters.
  
  practicelaw staff drafted the forms with the assistance of a small group of probate attorneys and paralegals, who donated their time and expertise for the project. We welcome user comments and suggestions on new forms or for improvements to existing forms.
  
  The forms are formatted in Microsoft Word to allow users maximum flexibility in tailoring the forms. As forms are added, we will also add them to mndocs, the MSBA's document assembly and automation system.
• Court Forms. Links to a limited number of probate forms housed on the Minnesota Judicial Branch web site. These forms are generally intended for use by pro se parties.
• Guardianship and Conservatorship Forms. We maintain a comprehensive set of guardianship and conservatorship forms. These are drafted and updated by experienced attorneys and are approved for use by the Minnesota Conference of Chief Judges.

• Federal Taxation Committee Reports. The Federal Taxation Committee of the MSBA's Probate & Trust Law Section monitors and reports on federal legislation and IRS rules that impact the practice of estate planning. These monthly updates are compiled and drafted by section member and attorney Richard Hawke and contain valuable estate planning and taxation information.
• County Medical Assistance Contacts An indexed database of contacts from each county to assist attorneys in obtaining medical assistance clearance certificates.
• Links. A one-stop shop of probate-related links for the probate and trust law practitioner, compiled by attorneys Rick Bunin and Scott Nelson, two probate attorneys active in the MSBA's Probate & Trust Law Section.

In addition to practicelaw resources, the MSBA Probate & Trust Law Section hosts continuing legal education seminars and develops useful probate and estate planning materials. Some of these materials are posted on practicelaw, while other materials are found on the section website.