Any Tennessee Lawyers?

[legion]

I have some estate questions that I can't get answered. I'm at the end of my rope. I've run up a substantial amount on my credit card to pay for estate expenses and expenses I have incurred because of the estate (like hotel rooms in Nashville).

As a rule, I don't trust lawyers, and will only speak to them if referred to them by someone I trust. I originally started out working with a family friend, but they referred me to another lawyer, who referred me to another lawyer. So far, I have gotten 0 help (the lawyers all see this is a small estate and pass me off to someone else). I've called the County Clerk's office with my question, and they tell me I need to speak to a lawyer (GRRR!).

I've bought a few books on handling estates, but they don't answer my very simple questions (then again, neither do the lawyers).

I am affiant of my father's estate. The estate is small but it is going through probate because I expect some problems with creditors. Specifically, I suspect that my father owes more people money than he listed in his will, second, on of the entities he owes money to is a credit-card company, and they say he owes $8,000, my father's will says he owes $2,000. I published for creditors, so far, the only claim I have recieved is the one I filed for reimbursement of expenses I have incurred administering the estate. (Three trips to Nashville, moving furniture, hotel rooms, mileage, copies of death certificate, U-Haul rental.)

My questions are:

1) When can I pay claims? Creditors have four months from publication to file claims. I know of three creditors, plus myself. The four month period ends in August.

2) When the judge set the four-month period (which runs from April to August), he ordered me to appear in court in October. Why? Is he expecting the estate to be closed, or is he expecting to review claims and deciding who gets paid what? The County Clerk will not answer this question.