Cheryl R. Watkins, Esq.
Former Assistant Clerk of Superior Court - Estate Administration (Probate)The Law Office of Cheryl R. Watkins is a boutique estate law practice serving all 100 counties of North Carolina representing individuals, families, and small businesses in the provision of advice, counsel, and results in the following areas of law:
- Estate Administration (Probate Law)
- Estate Planning (Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, etc.)
- Business Succession Planning
- Wrongful Death
Attorney Cheryl R. Watkins of The Law Office of Cheryl R. Watkins has a practice concentration in Estate Planning and Probate and has worked in those fields for over 20 years as a former CPA, auditor, Assistant Clerk, and now as a private practice attorney. She graduated with a degree in Accounting from one of the top 10 Accounting programs in the country – Oklahoma State University. She obtained her law degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
She has worked in law firms and accounting firms such as Price Waterhouse, Deloitte & Touche, and KPMG in the audit, tax, and consulting departments. She has rounded out her rich background in estates with experience in the government sector having been appointed Assistant Clerk of Superior Court of Mecklenburg where she headed up the Estates and Special Proceedings department overseeing thousands of estates.
This law practice serves ALL 100 COUNTIES of North Carolina.
- Probate
- Estate Planning
- Wrongful Death
- Contingent Fees
Contingent Fees are accepted for Wrongful Death matters.
- North Carolina
- University of Southern California Gould School of Law
- J.D. (1997)
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- Oklahoma State University - Stillwater
- B.S. (1997) | ACCOUNTING
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- North Carolina State Bar
- Member
- Current
- North Carolina Lawyer
- State Bar of North Carolina
- North Carolina Real Estate Broker
- North Carolina Real Estate Commission
- Q. What rights does my fathers girlfriend of 15 years have to his estate?
- A: Hi there. My condolences for the loss of your father. Estate administration is guided by many bodies of law including: the laws of wills, contract, real property, secured transactions, etc. While there is no way to conclusively answer your question without analysis of your situation, in general, how your father titled his property will be an important factor in administering his estate. I suggest you contact an attorney and begin legal proceedings without delay. Good luck.
- Q. My father passed away and had an LLC small business. How will the LLC impact my mother upon his death
- A: Hello. My condolences for the loss of your dad. The short answer to your question is it depends on the actual terms of the LLC and a host of other factors including co-owners of the LLC, any will, trust, creditors, etc. Feel free to contact my law office if you seek to retain an attorney for this matter. Office: 704-544-3394 Email: Cheryl@crwatkinslaw.com.
- Q. If my spouse passes away and my name is not on the deed and he has no will. What will happen to the property in NC?
- A: Hello. To answer your question, I would need more facts. There are many factors which would determine the fate of his property to include, but not limited to, mortgages, other encumbrances, estate creditors, taxes, the existence of property co-owners, the existence of children of the decedent for example. Feel free to contact my law office if you seek to retain an attorney for this matter. Office: 704-544-3394 Email: Cheryl@crwatkinslaw.com.
- Q. Father died intestate his new wife wants to disinherit his children from previous marriage.
- A: It is very difficult to address your question as I would really need to gather more facts here. But I can say, in general, how a decedent's assets are distributed is a very complicated process governed by the law of wills, trusts, intestacy, probate, contracts, and real estate and how those laws apply and are interpreted in any given specific situation. Feel free to contact my law office if you seek to retain an attorney for this matter. Office: 704-544-3394 Email: Cheryl@crwatkinslaw.com.
- Q. Sister died intestate. Her spouse signed renunciation form. Can her eldest son, currently living in UK, be admin?
- A: Hello. Here is the law regarding the factors which disqualify someone from serving as an estate administrator: NCGS § 28A-4-2. Persons disqualified to serve as personal representative. No person is qualified to serve as a personal representative who: (1) Is under 18 years of age; (2) Has been adjudged incompetent in a formal proceeding and remains under such disability; (3) Is a convicted felon, under the laws either of the United States or of any state or territory of the United States, or of the District of Columbia and whose citizenship has not been restored; (4) Is a nonresident of this State who has not appointed a resident agent to accept service of process in all actions or proceedings with respect to the estate, and caused such appointment to be filed with the court; or who is a resident of this State who has, subsequent to appointment as a personal representative, moved from this State without appointing such process agent; (5) Is a corporation not authorized to act as a personal representative in this State; (6) Repealed by Session Laws 1999-133, s. 1. (7) Has lost that person's rights as provided by Chapter 31A; (8) Is illiterate; (9) Is a person whom the clerk of superior court finds otherwise unsuitable; or (10) Is a person who has renounced either expressly or by implication as provided in G.S. 28A-5-1 and 28A-5-2. That said, Clerks have broad discretion in their appointment of an administrator. My best suggestion is to contact the Clerk's office of the county with jurisdiction over this matter share some of your facts and ask them if the person in the UK is disqualified. At any rate, because there is no will, there may be other options in the selection of the administrator of an estate. Feel free to contact my law office if you seek to retain an attorney for this matter. Office: 704-544-3394 Email: Cheryl@crwatkinslaw.com.
