MUPC ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURAL GUIDE …

1 1 MUPC ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURAL GUIDE second edition A GUIDE to ESTATE ADMINISTRATION Practices & Procedures in the Probate and Family Court Administrative Office of the Probate and Family Court MUPC ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURAL GUIDE second edition 2 MUPC ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURAL GUIDE second edition A GUIDE to ESTATE ADMINISTRATION Practices & Procedures in the Probate and Family Court Content The Administrative Office of the Probate and Family Court is pleased to provide an electronic version of this Probate and Family Court publication for use by judges and staff. The contents of this publication are intended to provide general guidance to court staff. This GUIDE is for education and informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice. Readers should keep in mind that laws and procedures may change. Readers are encouraged to refer to the Probate and Family Court MUPC Hub, including future editions of The Decoder, for any periodic updates.

2 Online Access This is a pdf file that requires Adobe Acrobat. If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer, please click here to download the latest version of this free software. Once you open this publication, you can access a specific item without scrolling page by page through the entire section by clicking on its Bookmark on the left. If a bookmark has a + sign next to it, click on the + sign to show subsections. You can also search the entire document for a specific word or phrase by clicking on Edit in the toolbar and then on Find . To access a specific section of the GUIDE within the document, click on the highlighted link to that section. To return to the original place in the document, right click the mouse and select Previous View . To access a form or website within the document, click on the highlighted link. Trial Court users should feel free to download this entire publication, or any piece of it, to a flash drive, PC or laptop; burn it to a CD; or print any portion of it (but should endeavor to save paper and ink by printing only those portions that are strictly necessary).

3 MUPC ESTATE ADMINISTRATION Procedure GUIDE @2016 by Hon. Elaine M. Moriarty, Hon. R. Anthony Nesi, Hon. Lisa A. Roberts, Thomas P. Jalkut, Christopher G. Mehne, Evelyn J. Patsos. All rights reserved. June 2016 MUPC ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURAL GUIDE second edition 3 The second edition of the MUPC ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURAL GUIDE is the result of the hard work of dedicated Probate and Family Court judges, staff, and practitioners. During the course of this work, the MUPC Procedures Committee devoted countless hours in reviewing the first edition and suggesting recommendations for improvement. These recommendations were analyzed, vetted, and often analyzed again to ensure consistent application. I am grateful for the dedication of those involved and their determination to produce an updated manual that will benefit the staff and judges of the Probate and Family Court, ESTATE practitioners and members of the public.

4 Thank you. Angela M. Ordo ez, Chief Justice Probate and Family Court Department Written and Edited by: Hon. Elaine M. Moriarty, Associate Justice, Norfolk Division Hon. Anthony R. Nesi, Associate Justice, Bristol Division Hon. Lisa A. Roberts, Associate Justice, Plymouth Division Thomas P. Jalkut, Nutter, McClennen & Fish, LLP, Boston Christopher G. Mehne, Bowditch & Dewey, LLP, Worcester Evelyn J. Patsos Esq., Administrative Office, Probate & Family Court, Boston MUPC ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURAL GUIDE second edition 4 Contents 1 .. 13 GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS .. 13 General Terms and Abbreviations .. 13 Time Limits for Filing Actions .. 13 Statutory References - MUPC at : 3-108 .. 13 General Rule .. 14 General Exceptions .. 14 Fraud Exception .. 16 Subsequent Petition Exceptions .. 16 Identifying Heirs at 17 Statutory References- MUPC at.

5 17 Heirs at Law under the MUPC .. 17 Certain Pre-Deceased Relatives; Half Blood Relatives; Marital Status; Adopted Children .. 19 Heirs at Law prior to the MUPC .. 19 Degrees of Kinship .. 20 Examples .. 21 Identifying Devisees .. 23 Anti-Lapse; Deceased Devisee; Class Gifts .. 23 Examples .. 23 Priority of Appointment .. 24 Statutory References- MUPC at : .. 24 Priority Determination (Priority Ladder) .. 24 Priority of the Domiciliary PR .. 25 Disqualification from Serving .. 25 Minor, Incapacitated Person or Protected Person with Highest Priority .. 25 Options for the Person(s) with Highest Priority .. 26 Nomination when One Person has Priority .. 26 Nomination when More than One Person has Priority .. 27 Exceptions with a Will .. 27 Failure of Person(s) with Highest Priority to 28 Examples .. 28 Venue .. 30 Statutory References- MUPC at .. 30 First Proceeding.

6 30 Examples .. 31 Subsequent 31 Multiple Proceedings; Transfer .. 31 Bonds (MPC 801) .. 32 Statutory References- MUPC at : .. 32 Demand for Sureties (MPC 360) .. 33 Statutory References- MUPC at : .. 34 Demands Made Prior to the Appointment of a PR .. 34 Demands Made After the Appointment of a PR .. 34 MUPC ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURAL GUIDE second edition 5 Petition to Modify Bond (MPC 295).. 35 Statutory Reference- MUPC at : .. 35 Modifying the Obligation of a Pre-MUPC Bond .. 35 All Other Petitions to Modify the Bonds .. 36 Guardians Ad Litem (GAL) and Actual/Parental/Virtual Representation .. 36 Statutory References- MUPC at : .. 37 Actual, Parental, and Virtual Representation .. 37 MUPC Magistrates .. 38 Magistrate s Role in Informal Proceedings .. 38 Magistrate s Role in Formal Proceedings .. 39 Letters of Authority .. 39 How to Issue Initial Letters of Authority.

7 40 Supervised PRs .. 40 Other Restrictions on the Powers of a PR .. 41 How to Re-Certify Letters .. 41 Determination of Testacy .. 41 Statutory References- MUPC at : .. 41 A Change of Testacy after an Informal Proceeding .. 42 A Change of Testacy after a Formal Proceeding .. 42 Effect of Change of Testacy on a Previously Appointed PR .. 42 Examples .. 43 Execution of a Will .. 44 Who May Witness .. 44 Requirements in Informal Proceedings .. 45 Requirements in Formal Proceedings .. 45 Tangible Personal Property Memorandum .. 46 2 .. 47 VOLUNTARY ADMINISTRATION .. 47 Statutory References- MUPC at : .. 47 Criteria to Qualify for Voluntary ADMINISTRATION of Small Estates .. 47 Venue and Filing Requirements for Voluntary ADMINISTRATION .. 47 Registry Procedure .. 48 Authority of a VPR .. 49 Statutory Powers and Duties of a VPR .. 50 Effect of Voluntary ADMINISTRATION Statement on Third Parties.

8 50 Examples .. 51 3 .. 53 INFORMAL PROCEEDINGS .. 53 Statutory References- MUPC at : .. 54 Probate Court Jurisdiction .. 54 MUPC ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURAL GUIDE second edition 6 Filing for Informal Probate and/or Appointment of PR .. 54 Submitting Court Pleadings .. 56 Issuing a Docket Number .. 57 Required Elements of the Informal Petition (MPC 150) .. 57 Court Caption .. 57 Section I - General Information .. 58 Information about the Decedent .. 58 Information about the Petitioner(s) .. 58 Time Limits .. 59 Venue .. 59 Notice to the Division of Medical Assistance ( DMA ) .. 60 Section II - Persons Interested in the ESTATE .. 60 Surviving Spouse, Children, Heirs at Law (MPC 162) and Devisees (MPC 163) .. 60 Section III - Testacy Status .. 62 Intestate (without a will) .. 62 Testate (with a will) .. 62 Section IV - Appointment of a PR (if requested).

9 63 Information about Other 64 Information about the Bond .. 64 Section V - Relief Requested .. 65 65 Appearance by Attorney .. 65 Additional Required Forms .. 65 Death Certificate .. 65 Military Affidavit (MPC 470) .. 66 Magistrate s Order (MPC 750) .. 66 Additional May Need Forms .. 67 Bond (MPC 801) .. 67 Assent and Waiver of Notice (MPC 455).. 67 Renunciation/Nomination (MPC 455) .. 67 Affidavits .. 68 Cause of Death Affidavit (MPC 475) .. 68 Affidavit of Domicile (MPC 485) .. 68 Affidavit of Conservator .. 68 Proof of Guardianship/Conservatorship .. 68 Notice Requirements for an Informal Proceeding .. 69 Notice Prior to Filing the Petition .. 69 Notice of Informal Probate and Return of Service (MPC 550) .. 69 Persons Entitled to Notice .. 69 Proof of Service .. 70 Publication Notice after Informal Probate or Appointment .. 71 Informal Probate Publication Notice (MPC 551).

10 71 Proof of Publication .. 71 Amending a Pleading in an Informal Proceeding .. 72 Magistrate s Approval .. 72 Letters of Authority for Personal Representative (MPC 751) .. 74 MUPC ESTATE ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURAL GUIDE second edition 7 4 .. 75 FORMAL PROCEEDINGS .. 75 Statutory References- MUPC at : .. 75 Probate Court Jurisdiction .. 76 Formal Testacy Proceedings .. 76 Formal Appointment Proceedings .. 77 Filing for Formal Testacy and/or Appointment of PR .. 77 Submitting Court Pleadings .. 79 Issuing a Docket Number .. 80 Required Elements of the Formal Petition (MPC 160) .. 80 Court Caption .. 80 Section I General Information .. 81 Information about the Decedent .. 81 Information about the Petitioner(s) .. 81 Time Limits .. 82 83 Notice to the Division of Medical Assistance ( DMA ) .. 83 Section II - Persons Interested in the ESTATE .