After a Sailor’s Father Died Intestate, Pro Bono Attorney Helps Obtain a Favorable Settlement Agreement

A Navy servicemember’s father died without a will, leaving the sailor and his mother in a bit of a mess. The father owned his home, but died without a will. The father’s marriage to the mother was a common law marriage, and his name was not on the sailor’s birth certificate. The father had another child who had since died, and the children of this deceased child claimed sole ownership of the father’s real property. Further complicating matters, there was another relative living in the father’s house without a lease or paying rent.

After the sailor visited his legal assistance office, and his case was referred to the ABA Military Pro Bono Project, pro bono attorneys kindly offered to assist him pro bono. The sailor and his mother entered into a favorable settlement agreement and received a hefty payment for the home.