Hi, My father lived with me for 14 yrs until his death in 2004.
My brother moved in with me 1 year after our father's death. When my brother moved out he took tools and other things without my knowledge. After a while when I looked for a tool to do a repair it was gone! My brother then admitted that he did take that and other things but refuses to tell me WHAT HE TOOK. I CALLED THE POLICE AND MY BROTHER SAID THAT IF I CAN NOT NAME WHAT IS MISSING, THEN HE WON'T RETURN what he took! This is a cruel game. I live alone and depend on those tools.
My brother said he could take anything he wanted because they aren't mine. Is that true? Who really owns all of my Dad's things that were left in my house? My Dad help paying the bills when he was here. I live in New York.
I am desperate for your answer.

The basics of it would be a division of property between survivors assuming that there was no wife at that time. How much property etc are we talking about. The reason for asking is because if it was a small amount then it wouldn't be efficient to open probate and then disburse what's there. But if it is a lot then you must account for what's there.