03/31/2020
COVID-19 Update:
As the stay-at-home order continues, there are many people learning how to deal with the new normal. Here at the office we have had to adjust our staffing, but we are still operating daily and have seen a couple of areas of law heavily impacted by the pandemic.
First, we should note that most real estate contracts signed before March 23rd lacked any provision to delay or cancel contracts due to the Corona Virus. Accordingly, we have been preparing for and handling real estate closings daily for both residential and commercial transactions. Our partners, which include realtors, inspectors, loan officers and title companies, have adjusted their staffing and scheduling to accommodate the needs of these clients. If you are in the middle of a contract or contemplating moving forward with a new transaction, please give us a call to discuss the hurdles and we can help navigate you through to a successful closing.
Second, we have multiple calls daily for new clients who want to begin the process of completing their wills. Under the current circumstances where so many people are homebound, we are happy to schedule an initial meeting via telephone to discuss your family, your concerns, and the best options to secure the outcome you desire for you and your family. We can get the process mostly completed via emails and phone calls, then we would need a meeting at the end to execute the final documents. Given that these documents require witnesses and a Notary Public, we have served several clients who had special circumstances with "parking lot" signings. This limits exposure and still complies with the legal requirements. We have other alternatives, which can be discussed on a case-by-case basis.
Lastly, we have had a variety of people call and email asking for help closing an estate. Maybe you were named as an executor and the estate has lingered longer than you intended and you need a little help getting it "done". Maybe you are a beneficiary of an estate and the executor has just not been able to get it completed to distribute the funds you may truly need at this point. In either case, we can handle those matters via phone, email and postal mail. We can communicate with you and the county Surrogate, then work to get the estate closed and legally have the executor released of any further liability from the estate as all the funds are distributed.
In closing, this time of social-distancing can be a time to focus on some "adulting" tasks that seem too burdensome to handle on a normal busy day, week or year. You can relieve some stress by getting things done that have been put off long enough.
We provide a free initial phone consultation on each of the above matters, so you can trust that we will provide some guidance and explain the value of our services before you commit to engage our firm. As a side note, we are also one of the primary service providers for clients with Hyatt and ARAG legal plans, if you are a member.
For the past 85 years we have been serving the local community and we continue to do so even during these very difficult times. We look forward to the days of running into our clients at the grocery store or pizza place, but until then we will all adjust to the new normal.
Turp, Coates, Driggers & White, P.C.
170 S. Main Street
Hightstown, NJ 08520
609.448.0016
www.TurpCoatesLaw.com
