Sacramento Trust & Estate Litigation Attorney

Hiring an estate planning lawyer is more than just checking a box on your financial to-do list—it’s a profoundly personal...

No-contest clauses in California trusts are like landmines: designed to deter conflict, but if misunderstood or misused, they can explode...

Trust litigation is rarely just about dollars and cents—it’s often about something much deeper. When siblings find themselves on opposite...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law.  I’m sharing passages from my new book Inheritance Heists – and I hope that...

When most people think about estate planning, they focus on wills, trusts, and perhaps a power of attorney. But what...

Estate planning is meant to offer peace of mind—a roadmap for how a person’s assets and legacy will be handled...

California’s Proposition 19 introduced some of the most sweeping changes to the state’s property tax system in decades—particularly when it...

Creating a Litigation-Proof Trust California families can rely on is more than paperwork—it's about protecting your legacy with intention. A...

I'm Michael Hackard, and it's been more than 40 years since I fought my first will contest case in California...

In California, the line between what's mine and what's ours can get blurry—especially when a loved one passes away, and...

Probate is a legal process that can already feel overwhelming—layered with court procedures, deadlines, and emotional complexity. But for those...

Probate litigation is often filled with complex emotions, delayed timelines, and difficult decisions. But sometimes, urgency leaves no room for...

Probate litigation can feel like a maze—emotional, legal, and deeply personal. Families grieving the loss of a loved one often...

Here's How to Know When most people think about estate planning, they picture a will, maybe a trust, and some...

In the quiet aftermath of a patriarch’s passing, a once-close family found itself unraveling—not from grief but from betrayal, suspicion,...

Estate planning is meant to bring clarity and peace of mind. A well-drafted trust should settle questions about who gets...

In the complex arena of trust and estate litigation, few issues are as pivotal as determining whether the person who...

In the world of trust and estate litigation, deposition testimony in trust dispute cases can be one of the most...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law.  I’m sharing passages from my new book Inheritance Heists – and I hope that...

Grief has no timetable. It arrives in waves, sometimes sharp, sometimes slow. When a loved one passes away, we expect...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law.  I’m sharing passages from my new book Inheritance Heists – and I hope that...

Watching your aging parents become vulnerable is one of the hardest chapters of adult life. You want to protect them—especially...

The passing of a loved one should be a time for family unity, shared memories, and mutual support. But for...

Trusts are designed to bring clarity, stability, and fairness to the management of family wealth. But in practice, they can...

A Guide for Families, Caregivers, and Advocates Elder abuse is often a silent epidemic—one that hides behind closed doors, subtle...

In the world of trust administration, numbers tell a story—and sometimes, that story reveals betrayal, neglect, or mismanagement. Trust beneficiaries...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law.  I’m sharing passages from my new book Inheritance Heists – and I hope that...

Going through estate litigation involves more than just legal rights and court filings, it often involves painful emotions, long-standing family...

Trustees are expected to act in good faith, in the best interests of the beneficiaries, and with unwavering integrity. That...

When an aging loved one begins to rely on others—especially caregivers—for daily support, the balance of trust and power can...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law.  I’m sharing passages from my new book Inheritance Heists – and I hope that...

Inheritance can bring out the best and the worst in families. Trusts are designed to create clarity and avoid conflict....

Estate litigation can strike even the most carefully built legacies. Recent high-profile inheritance disputes – involving celebrities, business leaders, and...

Probate litigation is rarely just about money. It’s about relationships, legacies, power, promises made—and broken. At the center of these...

Real estate is often at the heart of trust and estate disputes. In California – and especially in places like...

Estate disputes are rarely just about the contents of a will or trust. In many cases, the core issue is...

In the world of trusts and estates, fairness isn't always guaranteed—especially when family conflict, manipulation, or misinformation influences the distribution...

When a loved one passes away, the legal process of settling their estate can quickly become overwhelming. Families are often...

Estate planning is designed to preserve your family’s financial security and pass down assets according to your wishes. Yet, the...

Undue influence in California estate law is a pivotal issue in trust and estate litigation, often arising when someone suspects...

Living trusts are often promoted as the gold standard of estate planning—and for good reason. They allow assets to bypass...

When someone passes away in California, their estate often includes more than just money and property—it also includes debts. Credit...

I’m Mike Hackard with Hackard Law.  I’m sharing passages from my new book Inheritance Heists – and I hope that...

Blended families are now a common part of modern American life. As remarriage rates rise and multi-parent households become the...

Mediation is often hailed as the preferred route for resolving trust disputes in California. It's cost-effective, confidential, and typically less...

Life has a way of throwing us curveballs. Illness. Injury. Sudden travel. Even cognitive decline. These are the moments when...

What would you do if a lifetime of hard work, carefully saved for your loved ones, suddenly fell into the...

Imagine this scenario: Your elderly father, who once meticulously balanced his checkbook and knew exactly where every penny was going,...

What would you do if a lifetime of hard work, carefully saved for your loved ones, suddenly fell into the...

Have you ever noticed how the reading of a will can both unite and divide a family? For some, inheriting...