While money might not be the source of all evil, it certainly creates many problems between people. One area where people frequently fall out over finances is when someone in their family dies. It can lead family members to fight with those in charge of the deceased’s trusts, personal representatives used to execute the estate and, more than anything, with other family members.
Washington lawmakers created the Trust and Estates Dispute Resolution Act (TEDRA) to help solve such issues. The aim is to avoid such disputes needing to go to litigation and guide parties toward settling their differences through mediation, arbitration or agreement instead.
How does TEDRA work
When you have a dispute with someone else over a trust or estate, you need to file a TEDRA petition with a court. That is if you cannot sort it out yourselves first. You would then try using TEDRA mediation to settle your issue. If you reach an agreement, a judge will sign it off. If not, you take your dispute to TEDRA arbitration.
Getting a fair deal will require a deep understanding of the law and strong negotiating skills, so you will need legal assistance. You may wonder what then is the advantage of this over more typical litigation? It is the attitude you enter with. When you settle issues using traditional litigation, reaching a compromise may not be top of your mind. There is a tendency to view things as you against the other party. TEDRA offers you ways to settle your differences without descending into a bitter dispute. It helps you stand up for your rights to your inheritance while reducing the chance you destroy your personal relationships in the process.
