my father pass away on the 28th of Nov. His wish was that we would have a small policy that he left to us. By us I mean 5 of his sibling's. My father remarried in 1980, we got a stepmother and stepbrothers. They made sure they would try to take has much money from my dad as possible. They even had him sign a power of attorney with out his knowledge, he thought he was signing real state papers. Even to the day he died he did not know he sign a power of attorney over to my stepbrother. They also tried really hard to remove our names from the policy my dad wanted to leave us. When one of the sibling with a stepbrother made arrangements for his funeral. It was made apparent that my stepmother and stepbrother believed that my stepmother was the only one on the policy, and that's what they told the funeral home people. I one of the sibling attempted at least three times to let them know that we were told by my dad that we too where on that policy but I was ignored. So they only asked for my stepmother's signature to release the policy also my stepbrother sign his signature for the cost of the funeral. the Funeral home put my stepbrother as a son to my father and put his name as son on the obituary even though I told them he was a stepson. We also was seated in the last row by the people of the funeral home during my Dad's service. Our stepbrother and his friends sat in front. We were outraged! A week later the funeral home found out that all five of us sibling were on the policy and then they asked us to sign a release form to the policy. We refused. We felt that our stepbrother and stepmother had all my Dad assets, why not use that money. My stepbrother refuse to let us go through my dad stuff and I so wanted to have my Dad's hat and cane my other sibling wanted his wallet and bible. We felt as if we were robbed of my Dad!! To make things worst the funeral home wants to place a civil suit against us the sibling to force us to sign the release form instead of them going after my stepmother and stepbrother for the money. It was hard enough losing our Dad, but all this is overwhelming us all. WE are broken inside. We were told my the funeral home that "we will be on there turf with there lawyer and there judge and they will win!" We need legal advice on what to do! Can we place a counter civil suit? All five of us sibling are not well off. is there a lawyer out there that can help or give us advice.
