Sec. 13.16.040. - Probate, testacy, and appointment proceedings; ultimate time limit.. - Alaska Statutes

(a) An informal probate or appointment proceeding or formal testacy or appointment proceeding, other than a proceeding to probate a will previously probated at the testator's domicile and appointment proceedings relating to an estate in which there has been a prior appointment, may not be commenced more than three years after the decedent's death, except

(1) if a previous proceeding was dismissed because of doubt about the fact of the decedent's death, appropriate probate, appointment, or testacy proceedings may be maintained at any time after the dismissal upon a finding that the decedent's death occurred before the initiation of the previous proceeding and the applicant or petitioner has not delayed unduly in initiating the subsequent proceeding;

(2) appropriate probate, appointment, or testacy proceedings may be maintained in relation to the estate of an absent, disappeared, or missing person for whose estate a conservator has been appointed, at any time within three years after the conservator becomes able to establish the death of the protected person;

(3) a proceeding to contest an informally probated will and to secure appointment of the person with legal priority for appointment in the event the contest is successful, may be commenced within the later of 12 months from the informal probate or three years from the decedent's death;

(4) an informal appointment or a formal testacy or appointment proceeding may be commenced after the three years if proceedings concerning the succession or estate administration have not occurred within the three-year period after the decedent's death, but the personal representative may not possess estate assets as provided in AS 13.16.380 beyond that necessary to confirm title to the assets in the successors to the estate and claims other than expenses of administration may not be presented against the estate; and

(5) a formal testacy proceeding may be commenced at any time after three years from the decedent's death for the purpose of establishing an instrument to direct or control the ownership of property passing or distributable after the decedent's death from a person other than the decedent when the property is to be appointed by the terms of the decedent's will or is to pass or be distributed as a part of the decedent's estate or its transfer is otherwise to be controlled by the terms of the decedent's will.

(b) The limitations in (a) of this section do not apply to proceedings to construe probated wills or determine heirs of an intestate.

(c) In cases under (a)(1) or (2) of this section, the date on which a testacy or appointment proceeding is properly commenced is considered to be the date of the decedent's death for purposes of other limitations provisions of AS 13.06 - AS 13.36 that relate to the date of death.