probate
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Related to Probate law: probate will, Probate estate
probate
(prō`bāt), in law, the certification by a court that a willwill,in law, document expressing the wishes of a person (known as a testator) concerning the disposition of her property after her death. If a person dies intestate, i.e.
..... Click the link for more information. is valid. Probate, which is governed by various statutes in the several states of the United States, is required before the will can take effect. The procedure requires that notification of a hearing be given to all persons who may possibly inherit the deceased's property. Lost wills and oral wills may also be probated in some states if proof of due execution is furnished. If the will is certified, the court will issue letters testamentary authorizing the executorsexecutors and administrators.
An executor is the person designated in the will of a deceased person to carry out the provisions of the will. An administrator is the person appointed by a probate court to perform the identical functions if the will does not name any executors or
..... Click the link for more information. to carry out the will's provisions. The judge sitting on a probate court is ordinarily called a surrogate.
probate
1. the act or process of officially proving the authenticity and validity of a will
2.
a. the official certificate stating a will to be genuine and conferring on the executors power to administer the estate
b. the probate copy of a will
3. (in the US) all matters within the jurisdiction of a probate court