Dear Barbara,

My BIL has lots of siblings and half siblings -- huge family.
One sister died with a house in her name and no will.
Another elderly sister was living in the house at time but had no documents to show that she had legal rights to the house.

The house was falling a part and worth almost nothing.
The siblings were asked by the sister still in the house to sign documents giving over their rights to the house.

There were about 12 siblings. If each wanted a share, they would have had 2 thousand dollars at the most, and the one sister would have been with out a place to live.

The process got messy because it involved an HEIR of one of the siblings who tried to insist on his share of the house.

There were a lot of tempers flaring and a lot of discussions.
Eventually, it go worked out. Each sibling and each heir of the sibling signed over his/ her share of the house to the sister who was still living in the house.

I can't imagine what it is like to be a lawyer invovled with a complicated family.

This is not the same as what you are talking about -- but your case reminded me of this one.

M.