After the death of a person, proceedings start to execute their will and distribute any wealth and assets. Often called the 'reading of a will'. In the media, this is often portrayed as the family having to sit in the solicitor's office. But this isn't always necessary. There is no legal requirement for such an official reading-out function. In fact, lawyers will sometimes send copies of the will to the heirs. The only legal requirement is that the will must be filed with the County Clerk's office, in the county where the deceased lived. After the will is filed, it becomes a public document and can be viewed by anyone who goes to this office. If the probate is held, the will becomes part of the probate file. If not, it is kept as a separate file. There is no such thing as an official reading of a trust. Nevertheless, if the trust has become irrevocable due to death, the successor trustee is required to notify the beneficiaries and heirs about the demise so that they can request copies of the trust and its amendments. In the legal world, there is no need to read the will aloud to anyone. However the attorney must be consulted before anybody wants to do anything with the deceased person's assets.
