Photo not that of the actual client
Rodney came to JALA’s Clay County office seeking help with probate on an estate he had inherited. Since he was a veteran, he was referred to JALA’s Veterans Services Unit. Declan Duffy, who leads the unit, drafted two separate petitions and three corresponding orders and filed each of them with the Clay County Clerk of Courts. These included an order to admit the will and one for homestead status on the family home. All were approved by the court and signed by a judge, and as a result Rodney became the sole owner of the property he had inherited. Probating the property protects his future rights and is important in the event Rodney ever needs to apply for disaster assistance from FEMA. Many Floridians struggle to obtain federal assistance in the wake of disasters because their inherited property has never gone through probate, which requires the help of an attorney.
