What does probate mean when there's no will in the state of Louisiana?

Question

Unfortunately, my mom didn't care enough to take the time to write out a will before she passed away this summer. She lived in Louisiana and owned some property there. There are 6 children and no one was named as her beneficiary. How do we deal with this without paying a fortune? And 4 of us live out of state.

Answer 1

It depends on how much the property is worth. In Texas if it's under 250,000 you don't have to probate (go to court). You will have to tranfer the deed to all six kids. You're going to have to call a lawyer.http://www.meocpa.com/est-adm.html

Answer 2

Probate

The court process by which a will is proved valid or invalid. The legal process wherein the estate of a decedent is administered.

When a person dies, his or her estate must go through probate, which is a process overseen by a probate court. If the decedent leaves a will directing how his or her property should be distributed after death, the probate court must determine if it should be admitted to probate and given legal effect. If the decedent dies intestate — without leaving a will — the court appoints a personal representative to distribute the decedent's property according to the laws of descent and distribution. These laws direct the distribution of assets based on hereditary succession.

In general, the probate process involves collecting the decedent's assets, liquidating liabilities, paying necessary taxes, and distributing property to heirs. Probate procedures are governed by state law and have been the subject of debate and reform since the 1960s. The Uniform Probate Code (UPC) was first proposed in 1969 by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and the House of Delegates of the American Bar Association. The prime focus of the UPC is to simplify the probate process. The UPC, which has been amended numerous times, has been adopted in its entirety by sixteen states: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Utah. The other thirty-six states have adopted some part of the UPC but still retain distinct procedures.
http://www.answers.com/probate&r=67