Georgette E. David, Attorney at Law

Estate Planning, Estate Administration & Probate Litigation Attorney in Ann Arbor, Michigan

A family may need an estate attorney at several different points.

You may be preparing a will, choosing someone to handle your finances if you become unable to do so, or deciding who should make medical decisions for you. After a death, you may suddenly become responsible for settling an estate or administering a trust. In other cases, disagreement among relatives may require court involvement.

Georgette E. David, Attorney at Law assists Michigan families with estate and trust planning, estate and trust administration, guardianships, conservatorships, and probate litigation. Her Ann Arbor practice also includes family law, which may be relevant when estate concerns overlap with divorce, remarriage, or changing family relationships.

I Need a Will or Trust

Many people postpone estate planning because they are unsure what documents they need or believe their property is not valuable enough to justify a plan.

A will or trust can provide direction about who should receive property and who should be responsible for carrying out the plan. Without clear instructions, surviving relatives may face uncertainty about the deceased person’s wishes and may have to rely on Michigan’s default inheritance laws.

Georgette David assists clients with wills, trusts, and broader estate and trust planning. The appropriate documents depend on the client’s family, property, and goals rather than on a single standard package.

Who Will Handle My Finances If I Cannot?

Estate planning should also address what happens during incapacity.

A serious illness, injury, or cognitive condition may leave someone unable to manage accounts, pay bills, sign documents, or handle property. A financial power of attorney allows a chosen person to act within the authority granted by the document.

Making that choice in advance can give family members clearer guidance during an emergency. Without an effective power of attorney or another planning arrangement, relatives may need to ask the probate court for legal authority to manage the person’s affairs.

Georgette David prepares financial powers of attorney as part of her estate-planning practice.

Who Will Make Medical Decisions for Me?

Medical incapacity creates a different set of questions.

A medical power of attorney allows an adult to name someone to participate in healthcare decisions when the patient cannot make or communicate those decisions independently.

The person selected should understand the client’s preferences and be prepared to speak during a difficult medical situation. Discussing those wishes while everyone is healthy can reduce uncertainty later.

Georgette David assists clients with medical powers of attorney alongside their other estate-planning documents.

Someone Died and I Am Responsible for the Estate

Being named to handle an estate can create unfamiliar legal and practical responsibilities at a time when the family is grieving.

The person in charge may need to identify property, address debts, communicate with beneficiaries, follow court requirements, and distribute assets according to a will or Michigan law.

Georgette David handles estate administration for personal representatives and families. Her experience may be especially useful when the administration involves disagreement, unclear instructions, or issues connected to broader family relationships.

I Am the Trustee Now

A trustee may be responsible for managing property, interpreting trust instructions, keeping records, and making distributions for the benefit of others.

Those responsibilities can continue for months or years. Questions may arise about what the trust permits, when beneficiaries should receive property, or whether a particular expense or distribution is appropriate.

Georgette David assists with trust administration as well as the planning and preparation of trusts. That continuity may help when a family needs guidance carrying out an existing plan after a death or incapacity.

My Parent or Relative Needs Legal Protection

A vulnerable adult may lose the ability to make informed personal or financial decisions because of illness, disability, or cognitive decline.

In some situations, a guardianship or conservatorship may be necessary. A guardian generally handles personal and care-related decisions, while a conservator generally manages money and property.

These proceedings can significantly affect a person’s independence and legal rights. Families may need help determining what authority is needed, who should serve, and how the probate-court process works.

Georgette David represents clients in guardianship and conservatorship matters and has participated in State Bar committees addressing these areas of Michigan probate law.

Our Family Is Fighting Over an Estate or Trust

Disputes may arise over the validity or meaning of an estate-planning document, the conduct of a personal representative or trustee, or the way property is being handled.

These cases often involve more than legal interpretation. Old family disagreements, divorce, remarriage, unequal inheritances, and concerns about control or fairness may all contribute to the conflict.

Georgette David handles probate and trust litigation. Her background includes both estate-related work and family law, as well as training and recognition in trial advocacy.

That combination may be valuable when an estate dispute is rooted in complicated family relationships and cannot be resolved through routine administration.

Estate and Probate Experience in Ann Arbor

Georgette David has practiced law since 1985 and has worked in the Ann Arbor legal community for decades. She opened her own private practice in 2008 after serving as of counsel to an established Ann Arbor firm.

She is active in the Probate and Estate Planning Section of the State Bar of Michigan and has participated in committees addressing probate procedure, legislation, guardianships, conservatorships, end-of-life issues, and electronic wills.

The office is located on Little Lake Drive in Ann Arbor and assists clients in Washtenaw, Wayne, Oakland, Lenawee, and Jackson counties.

Practice Areas

• Estate Planning

• Trust Planning

• Wills

• Trusts

• Financial Powers of Attorney

• Medical Powers of Attorney

• Estate Administration

• Trust Administration

• Guardianships

• Conservatorships

• Probate Litigation

• Trust and Estate Litigation