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CHRISTOPHER B. JOHNSON
ATTORNEY AT LAW
(888) 838-8771

18
SEP
2013

How Probate Works

When someone passes away, they leave an estate consisting of that individual’s assets and debts. In most cases, decedents leave a will and are considered testate; otherwise, they are considered to have died intestate and their assets pass by that state’s laws of intestacy. By...
10
SEP
2013

Why Must I Probate a Will?

  Why must I probate a will? A common question among heirs is why must the will of their parent or other close family member have to go to probate? If the decedent died without any assets in his or her sole name or had jointly held property that automatically passes to the...
04
SEP
2013

What is Probate? (Part 1)

Probate is a legal process that passes on your assets to your designated beneficiaries or heirs after determining the validity of your will, if it exists, and the interests of creditors and others who may have an interest in your estate. What Does Probate Do? When you pass away,...
03
FEB
2013

I’ll be speaking on elder law and estate planning for attorneys in March

I’m excited to present two new classes this March for MyLawCLE:  a webinar March 20th on elder law and a live class and webinar March 21st on estate planning and probate.  Both will help new and transitioning attorneys gain a broad understanding of the subjects, and the...
29
NOV
2012

Are life insurance proceeds protected from creditors?

This question came up during a conversation with a colleague today, and the answer is one commonly heard from attorneys:  “It depends.” California’s Code of Civil Procedure, section 704.100(c) says: “(c) Benefits from matured life insurance policies...
21
JAN
2012

Don Schweitzer in the San Gabriel Valley Tribune

Congratulations to a fellow lawyer and great guy in Pasadena!  Donald Schweitzer practices family law, estate planning and criminal law, and I’ve had the pleasure of knowing him for several years now, along with working with him on some cases as well. This article in the...
04
FEB
2011

What can we learn from watching ‘Roadhouse’?

I’m not sure why it took this long, but I finally saw “Roadhouse” for the first time the other day. While it may not match “Point Break“, it comes awfully close, with emphasis on the word awful. What a classic! Beyond the entertainment value, I...
04
FEB
2011

Should I waive bond in probate?

In the often mysterious probate process, the conventional wisdom says “Don’t waste your money on a bond!” New probate clients often tell me this, then ask, “What’s a bond, anyway?” It’s a type of inexpensive insurance, paid for out of...
04
FEB
2011

What if I have uncollected child and spousal support from 1960?

Can I still collect it? Yes! If uncollected, and the order mandating it hasn’t been modified, the law protects you, even after all these years. There are some defenses to paying the spousal support, but not the child support, and we were able to file a case on this issue....
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