David Leslie Crockett

"We highly recommend that you speak with David L. Crockett before choosing an attorney for any estate or other legal matter. The trust property we had to deal with had not been maintained and had fallen into severe disrepair. Everything from plumbing to electricity to the building exterior and plant... overgrowth was on the list. We worked long hours trying to sort and clear years of clutter and accumulation, make repairs, keep up taxes utilities etc. We kept the records we thought were needed and useful in developing a plan for progress. “Time went fast, and progress went slow.” Our struggles dealing with the trust were steadily moving beyond our abilities to resolve; we realized that we definitely needed help. Also we ourselves, as time passed, were contributing to our need for resolution. It was daunting that we would have to have help from a CPA, a licensed Real Estate Broker/Lawyer and someone who had the ability to communicate direction and legal advice specific to our situation. Multiple years of accounting and record keeping needed to be adequate and organized for negotiating the path from tax filings, title company closing and any other legal requirements of disclosure and trust distribution fulfillment. We had contacted several lawyers and professionals, but only became more confused actually. Then, fortunately we contacted David L. Crockett. David is prepared to guide and represent you in all of those areas. Mr. Crockett’s manner is professional, positive and efficient. Working with David L. Crockett was the best possible decision we could have made."

Mr. Crockett recently helped my family out in a huge trust and real estate lawsuit mess. My wife and her two brothers inherited equal thirds of a large property that had two homes on one lot as a result of their mothers’ passing in 2002. The Orange County home was put into a trust a few years later b...y way of Trust documents that were drafted by the eldest brother’s business attorney – who apparently had no estate law training. The eldest brother and his new wife were living in the family home since the mother’s death in 2002 and had the most to gain. My wife and her younger brother both have homes of their own, and would have preferred to sell the home in 2002 but did not as an attempt to be compassionate to their older brother. My wife and I live nearby the property and the middle brother lives out of state. In 2013 the eldest brother (who was living on the inherited family property) died unexpectedly leaving his new wife and her adult children and their wives all living on the property. There were 5 adults living there and running a family construction business from the property that had extensive parking for their business vehicles and significant storage spaces for their construction supplies. This unusual property made it unnecessary to lease shop space as would any other similar business. They were not maintaining the property and it was falling into severe disrepair. They wanted to continue to live there essentially rent free going forward though they were all but strangers to the surviving beneficiaries. My wife and her surviving brother absolutely wanted to now sell the their inherited home and approached the now-deceased older brother’s widow. She had a good thing going and did not want to move. She claimed she was now part owner and she felt entitled to that property. The Trust documents that the deceased brother’s business attorney had drafted were a joke! A law professor’s first year students would break out in hilarity it was so bad. It was as if the Trust documents were ordered off a random Internet Legal documents website for $19.95. The trust document didn’t even state who the trust beneficiaries were and left out other basic stuff. Finally, after much pressure, the widow reluctantly agreed to listing the home with a Realtor and signed the listing agreement. The home received offers. One was accepted and the property went into escrow. The clock was now running. The widow, her adult kids and their wives now had a date certain and would have to move by the time escrow would close. The widow was due a 1/3 of the sales proceeds, so she’d eventually have a down payment to purchase a home or money for whatever. One third would be a significant pile of cash. I will continue

Crockett Law is a detailed and thorough legal firm with clear and precise advice. My experience involves two trusts and advice regarding handling recalcitrant estate executor and preserving tax rights in property transactions. Crockett does not miss a thing and is excellent at what he does. Hard to t...op a skill level like his that comes from being an expert in his field for over forty years. Would definitely recommend him to anyone who is an executor or trustee of an estate, or to someone looking to set up their own. He has not only handled my estate planning but also general business matters as well.

Mr. Crockett was the attorney for an estate matter that I was involved in. He did a very good job on the matter. He knows the law, and is a strong advocate for your position and is a pleasure to work with. I recommend him if you have any matters involved with Estates, Trusts, (from planning to litig...ation).