Kitroser Lewis & Mighdoll

Planning tools for family and estate decisions

The firm's estate planning work includes wills, trusts, powers of attorney and health care directives. It also lists asset protection, special needs planning, Medicaid planning and long-term care planning. Probate and trust administration appear alongside those planning services. The stated scope connects the preparation of estate documents with the later work of carrying them out.

A will generally records instructions for property governed by the probate estate. It can also name the person who will administer that estate. A trust states how a trustee will hold, manage or distribute trust property. Before execution, the planning process commonly includes a review of names, property descriptions, beneficiary designations and asset ownership.

Planning for incapacity and care

Powers of attorney let a person name an agent for the authority that the document sets out. Health care directives can record treatment choices and name someone to make medical decisions when stated conditions apply. The wording defines each person's authority and provides the main reference point when a decision arises. State law controls the formal steps required for valid documents.

Special needs planning commonly addresses trust terms, public benefit rules and the recipient's expected needs. Medicaid planning looks at eligibility and asset rules, while long-term care planning considers how a family may arrange and fund care. Asset protection planning examines legal ownership and exposure to claims. Each subject calls for current financial and family information before documents or applications take shape.

Estate administration and contested matters

The site identifies heirs, beneficiaries, executors and trustees as parties the attorneys represent in estate or trust disputes. These roles carry different rights and duties. An executor usually gathers estate property, deals with valid claims and makes distributions under a will or governing law. A trustee follows the trust instrument and the law that applies to the trust.

Probate usually requires court filings, notice to interested people and an inventory of estate assets. A personal representative handles the administration under the court's authority. Trust administration centers on the trust document, records of trust property, accountings and distributions. In both settings, controlling documents and court orders shape the required steps.

Paths for resolving disputes

The firm says probate and trust disputes may proceed through negotiation, mediation or litigation. During negotiation, counsel and the parties exchange positions and proposed terms directly. Mediation adds a neutral person who helps the parties consider settlement options, while a judge decides motions and disputed legal issues in litigation. The route depends on the claims, available proof and the parties' ability to reach terms.

Will and trust disputes usually turn on the governing instrument, related records and testimony relevant to the claim. Fiduciary duty claims can require accountings, transaction records and communications that explain how an executor or trustee handled property. Alleged financial exploitation may bring banking records and evidence about authority or consent into the case. The firm lists each of these dispute categories.

Documents that shape the record

Probate and trust files often develop around signed instruments, amendments, accountings, property records and communications among fiduciaries and beneficiaries. Courts use admissible evidence to decide disputed facts and legal questions. Mediators can help the parties assess the same record while discussing possible terms. Filing rules and deadlines affect when and how a party raises an issue.

Guardianship and elder law work

The firm handles guardianship appointments, guardianship disputes and actions concerning a guardian's conduct. A court decides whether to appoint a guardian and states the guardian's authority in its order. Petitions, medical material and testimony can inform that decision. Later proceedings may address the guardian's decisions, records or compliance with court duties.

Elder law on the site includes Medicaid planning and long-term care planning. Those matters often involve care needs, benefit eligibility and decisions about how assets will support a plan. Special needs planning can overlap with this work when a trust or public benefit program affects the person's support. The attorneys also list nursing home abuse among the matters they handle.

Care-related claims and other civil matters

Nursing home abuse and wrongful death claims appear within the firm's stated work. Nursing home abuse cases generally require close review of medical records, care plans, incident reports and witness accounts. Wrongful death claims examine the cause of death, the parties who may bear legal responsibility, the losses the law allows and the evidence used to support each part. Courts and opposing parties look to the documents and testimony tied to those issues.

Real estate transactions form another part of the firm's service list. A transaction commonly calls for review of the contract, title material, disclosures and closing documents. The legal work depends on the property, the parties' agreement and any title issues shown in the records. The firm includes real estate matters within its services for Palm Beach County families.

How the attorney team is built

The site lists six attorneys in four formal title levels. Mitchell Ira Kitroser is the Managing Partner. Kathryn Nicole Lewis and Preston Mighdoll are Partners. The published roster therefore identifies three attorneys at partner level.

Clara Crabtree Ciadella is the Senior Associate Attorney. Sarenna M. Nath and Braelyn V. Saumure are Associate Attorneys. Together, the named lawyers make up the full six-attorney roster published by the firm.

Palm Beach County service area and public presence

The firm is based in North Palm Beach and states that it serves families throughout Palm Beach County. Its listed service area names West Palm Beach, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter. The firm describes its founding purpose in terms of families' changing legal needs.

In my opinion, the clearest strength of the published scope is the connection among planning, administration and contested family matters. A will or trust may begin as a planning document, guide an executor or trustee during administration and later become central to a dispute. Guardianship, long-term care planning and financial exploitation claims bring incapacity and protection concerns into the same service mix. The firm also publishes profiles on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.