Company Response
2/14/2023
Company states; I had been communicating with Ms. Bullock's sister about her father's Estate and her father's will due to the fact that she could not locate it. She suggested that he might have left it in my office for review, after his wife passed away, however, I could not find it. When Ms. Bullock, or her husband contacted my office around Jan 12, I called her back and advised her that I could not find it, but would continue to look. I advised her that I would check my lockbox at the bank where some people have requested that I keep their Wills for them. However, his name was not on my inventory of Wills. I immediately went to the bank, called her back, and advised her that her father's will was not in my lockbox. I did tell her that I would look for again in my office over the weakened. In my first conversation with Ms. Bullock over the phone, I was disturbed over the fact that when I told her that I did not think that I had her father's Will, she said something to the effect of "well this just doesn't add up". I advised her that I had known her sister, and had been communicating with her, and that I knew that she also was grieving over the loss their father. I did advise her that if she thought that something improper was going on due to the fact that they could not find their father's Will, that she needed to reconsider that thought. I do recall telling her that is she and her sister were the sole heirs, that if they could find their father's original Will, that the law would follow the rule that they would inherit equally. I also told her that I hoped that she and her sister could get along.
I went on to tell Ms. Bullock that I could not imagine her sister doing anything wrong in her handling their father's Estate. I do not ever recall telling her that she was being "greedy, money hungry, or selfish". I advised her to me recollection, that I cared as much about her Dad as any client that I have known, and that I had no idea what she was talking about when she said "this just doesn't add up". Although the time of her voice in our first conversation did distress me, I do not feel that I was rude to her in any manner. As luck would have it, I was advised the next week by Ms. Bullock's brother in law that the family had found their father's Will at his home. When I learned that, I advised them to take the original Will to the Courthouse and file it. This was several weeks ago, and I have not heard from Ms. Bullock since that day.
The last thing I would ever intend to do is say something that would hurt someone's feelings, and even more so, when they were suffering from the loss of one of their parents. I take that issue very seriously, and I am sorry that she could have misconstrued our conversation in such a manner. If the tone of my voice distressed her when I responded to her comment about things not "adding up", I apologize for that.
In any event, I wish her and her family the very best, and again thought her father was a wonderful man. If Ms. Bullock would like to speak with me, I would be glad to talk with her.
With highest regards, I remain
Yours very truly,
Stuart N. Watlington
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