Richmond Hill estates carry heavy weight. A $2.1 million Bayview Hill residence, a family-owned pharmacy on Yonge Street, and relatives scattered across the globe can transform probate into a pressure cooker. When wills are attacked, executors are sued, or aging parents lose capacity, probate and estate litigation lawyers in Richmond Hill turn potential disasters into orderly resolutions.

At Bobila Walker Law, we concentrate solely on probate applications, estate litigation, and guardianship disputes. No corporate mergers, no traffic tickets—just the courtroom and administrative battles that decide who controls assets and who speaks for the vulnerable. This article zeroes in on Richmond Hill’s sharpest probate and litigation pain points, with special emphasis on guardianship conflicts that drag families into court.

Probate in Richmond Hill: The High-Stakes Gateway

Probate unlocks bank accounts, transfers title to the Oak Ridges mansion, and authorizes share sales in a private company. The Certificate of Appointment of Estate Trustee is filed at the Newmarket courthouse serving York Region. Richmond Hill specifics raise the bar:

  • Court Delays: Minor paperwork errors send applications back to the end of the line.
  • Estate Administration Tax: Calculated on gross value—significant for homes routinely topping $1.8 million.
  • Executor Risk: One overlooked creditor or misvalued asset opens the door to personal lawsuits.

We manage probate from start to finish—will searches, affidavits of execution, bond applications, and urgent limited certificates to sell property before values shift.

Estate Litigation: Richmond Hill’s Flashpoints

Litigation erupts early and often. Typical triggers:

1. Will Validity Challenges

  • Undue Influence: A late-life partner convinces a widow to rewrite the will, disinheriting children from a prior marriage.
  • Testamentary Capacity: Alzheimer’s allegations against a will signed after a fall at Mackenzie Health.
  • Forged Codicils: A sudden handwritten amendment gifting the Hillcrest condo to a neighbor.

We attack or defend wills using medical experts, handwriting analysts, and prior estate documents.

2. Executor Accountability Actions

  • Self-Dealing: An executor rents the family cottage in Jefferson to their own business at below-market rates.
  • Stalled Administration: Beneficiaries wait years for accountings; we force passing of accounts under the Estates Act.
  • Breach of Duty: Unequal treatment of siblings in distributions.

We seek court-ordered removals, surcharges, or trustee compensation adjustments.

3. Dependent Support Claims

Excluded common-law spouses or disabled adult children file under Part V of the Succession Law Reform Act. We meet the six-month deadline—or block claims that arrive too late.

Guardianship Disputes: Richmond Hill’s Growing Fault Line

Richmond Hill’s senior population is expanding rapidly, and with it, guardianship applications under the Substitute Decisions Act, 1992. Capacity loss ignites family wars:

  • Property Guardianship: A parent with dementia owns a $1.9 million Observatory Lane home but can’t pay property taxes. One child wants to sell; another insists on preservation.
  • Personal Care Guardianship: Post-stroke decisions on resuscitation, feeding tubes, or long-term care placement split siblings.
  • Rival Applications: Competing Guardianship applications

We coordinate capacity assessments, and secure interim orders to prevent asset dissipation.

How Bobila Walker Law Handles Richmond Hill Files

  • Probate Efficiency: First-submission approvals through meticulous filings.
  • Litigation Results: Consistent success defending valid wills and removing unfit executors in York Region courts.
  • Guardianship Navigation: Mediation-first approach to keep families out of prolonged hearings.
  • Local Court Knowledge: Direct lines to Newmarket clerks and OPGT investigators for faster motions.

Final Thoughts: Control the Outcome

Probate issues, will contests, and guardianship clashes don’t self-correct.  Contact our Richmond Hill Probate and Estate Lawyers at 416-847-1859 or via email at daniel@bobilawalkerlaw.com