What legally can be done for a forged promissory note in an estate?

You say there is an "estate" lawyer. That lawyer represents the executor or the administrator and should be the person challenging the note.

Not enough facts to give a good answer.? What did she actually file?? If you think it's a forgery you may want a handwriting expert.? You should retain a probate attorney to go over everything.

Determining whether a promissory note has been forged requires the same evidence and proofs whether inside or outside the context of a probate estate. Your detail description seems to indicate that you are claiming that your signature on the note is forged yet your sister is enforcing the purported indebtedness to the estate against your brother's share of the estate. The connection is not clear from your description. I am concerned that your detail description of the pertinent facts is not complete. Without the complete facts it is difficult to respond to your question. It seems your sister is the current executor, successor to two other, prior, executors. As the appointed representative your sister is duty bound to evaluate whether an asset of the estate exists and should be collected and is not bound by the prior decisions of earlier executors unless the prior executors entered into some kind of agreement with the purported debtor. This assumes the prior executor had the authority to enter into such an agreement. Your brother must take steps to challenge the validity of the promissory note if the executor intends to enforce the note against him as a debtor to the estate and offset that debt against his interest in distributions under the estate. If on the other hand your sister is one of 3 co-executors there is a different dynamic. The opposing co-executors should weigh in along with your brother and oppose the action based on the belief that the note is not valid and pursuit of the purported asset is a waste of estate funds.

You have a very complex situation. It is not entirely clear what your sister is hoping to accomplish, but court proceedings are generally not a place for someone who is not represented by an attorney. If your sister is the personal representative, then the estate lawyer works for her. If the estate lawyer does not represent your sister, then it is even less clear what is going on. I would suggest you meet with an attorney to determine how best to proceed.

You could offer evidence that the promissory note is forged or that it has been paid off. However, the detectives were right . . . the best thing you can do is to get a consultation with a local probate lawyer. Before answering your question, a probate lawyer will need to know many more details about the situation than you can easily provide in an internet Q&A forum.

So get a consultation. Sorry, but this forum is for simple, one-issue questions.

You and your attorney(s) can challenge your sister at the hearing in court. You can also ask the judge to remove her as executor at that time.

If the other two executors are fighting it, I don't know if there is much for you to do. If they are not, then I guess you will have to hire an attorney to help you prove that the promissory note was forged.

Obtain the services of a probate litigation lawyer to review the documentation of the facts and documents you alleged are forged.

Have a document/hand writing expert examine the note.