Why is Illinois estate litigation so time-consuming and expensive?

Contested estate litigation can be expensive and time-consuming for a variety of factors, including:

• The complexity of the legal issues
• The personalities of the litigating parties
• The litigation styles of the attorneys involved
• The demeanor of the probate court judge
  

The main reason litigation drags on for a long time is usually the emotions of the litigating parties. Generally, one party (or both) feels that he/she has been wronged in some way, and that the probate court system must right this wrong. If the opposing parties and attorneys work together to reach a solution, however, expensive and time-consuming litigation can usually be avoided.