INHERITANCE LAWS:my mother and father purchased a home in the 50's in Pontchartrain Park. I was the only child of that union. My mother divorced my father and he bought her out of her share of that house. My father remarried, adopted his new wife's child and lived in the house for a time. They did not have any other children. Eventually, he and his new wife and child moved to another house in New Orleans East. They subsequently rented the old house. My father is now deceased and the wife was displaced to Mississippi after Katrina. She rebuilt the old house, which was destroyed during Katrina, and now has it up for lease; and has refurbished the new house and has it up for sale. Am I entitled to any portion of either house? I do not know if my dad's name was on the deed of the new house.

It is very possible that you are entitled to something with regard to both houses. However it will depend on how the ownership of the houses was listed on the deeds. You will have to get copies of the deeds for both properties. You can go to the county clerk or county register's office and make copies.

If you can't go there yourself, you can contact a title agency and have them get you copies of the deeds for a small fee. The title company should be able to tell you if there is a possibility that you are entitled to some interest in those properties. You should also have them do a search to see if there was a will probated.

If the title agent tells you that there is the potential for you to inherit some interest in either or both properties then at that point it would be a good idea to retain an attorney.

... The title company should be able to tell you if there is a possibility that you are entitled to some interest in those properties. ....

Although not a law firm, a title company is the next best thing. Keep in mind that Louisiana inheritance laws are different than those in the rest of the country.