The City of Washington is the county seat of Washington County, with about 13,000 residents and Washington & Jefferson College. It is also where many legal matters for the whole county are filed, because the Washington County Courthouse stands at 1 South Main Street.
Probate starts here
If a family member who lived in Washington County has died, the will is filed with the Washington County Register of Wills at the courthouse. The Register also grants letters of administration when there is no will and collects Pennsylvania inheritance tax for the state. Heather N. Kostrub can guide you through each step. Start with our probate page, or read what happens when someone dies without a will in Pennsylvania.
Other ways we help Washington residents
- Wills and trusts
- Power of attorney and health care directives
- Gas lease review, mineral rights and title opinions
- Starting a business and contracts
Washington County and natural gas
The first Marcellus Shale well, the Renz #1, was drilled in 2004 in Mount Pleasant Township, Washington County. The county has stayed one of the state’s leading gas producers since. That history means many families in and around Washington own mineral interests, receive royalties, or have older leases they have never read closely. Daniel B. Kostrub reviews these documents and explains them in plain language.
Questions Washington residents ask
Do I need a lawyer to probate a will?
Pennsylvania does not always require one, but estates with real estate, gas interests, debts or family disagreements are much easier with help.
How do I avoid probate?
Some assets pass outside probate. Our article how to avoid probate in Pennsylvania covers the common options.
How to get started
Call (304) 982-1586 or send a short message. Tell us you are in Washington, what kind of matter you have, and any deadline you know about. Meetings are by appointment at our office in Cecil Township. For estate planning, our estate planning checklist shows what to gather. For a gas lease, our gas lease checklist does the same.
See all communities we serve.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship.