STATE STATUTES & CODES

MASSACHUSETTS STATUTES AND CODES

ARTICLE III PROBATE OF WILLS AND ADMINISTRATION

• Section 3-101 Devolution of estate at death; restrictions
• Section 3-102 Necessity of order of probate for will
• Section 3-103 Necessity of appointment for administration
• Section 3-104 Claims against decedent; necessity of administration
• Section 3-105 Proceedings affecting devolution and administration
• Section 3-106 Proceedings within the exclusive jurisdiction of court; service; jurisdiction over persons
• Section 3-107 Scope of proceedings; proceedings independent; exception
• Section 3-108 Probate, testacy and appointment proceedings; ultimate time limit
• Section 3-109 Statutes of limitation on decedent’s cause of action
• Section 3-201 Venue for first and subsequent estate proceedings; location of property
• Section 3-202 Appointment or testacy proceedings; conflicting claim of domicile in another state
• Section 3-203 Priority among persons seeking appointment as personal representative
• Section 3-204 Reserved
• Section 3-205 Judge or register as personal representative
• Section 3-301 Informal probate or appointment proceedings; petition; contents
• Section 3-302 Informal probate; duty of magistrate; effect of informal probate
• Section 3-303 Informal probate; proof and findings required
• Section 3-304 Informal probate; unavailable in certain cases
• Section 3-305 Informal probate; magistrate not satisfied
• Section 3-306 Informal probate; notice requirements
• Section 3-307 Informal appointment proceedings; delay in order; duty of magistrate; effect of appointment
• Section 3-308 Informal appointment proceedings; proof and findings required
• Section 3-309 Informal appointment proceedings; magistrate not satisfied
• Section 3-310 Reserved
• Section 3-311 Informal appointment unavailable in certain cases
• Section 3-401 Formal testacy proceedings; nature; when commenced
• Section 3-402 Formal testacy or appointment proceedings; petition; contents
• Section 3-403 Formal testacy proceedings; notice of hearing on petition
• Section 3-404 Reserved
• Section 3-405 Formal testacy proceedings; uncontested cases; hearings and proof
• Section 3-406 Formal testacy proceedings; contested cases; testimony of attesting witnesses
• Section 3-407 Reserved
• Section 3-408 Formal testacy proceedings; will construction; effect of final order in another jurisdiction
• Section 3-409 Formal testacy proceedings; order; foreign will
• Section 3-410 Formal testacy proceedings; probate of more than one instrument
• Section 3-411 Formal testacy proceedings; partial intestacy
• Section 3-412 Formal testacy proceedings; effect of order; vacation
• Section 3-413 Formal testacy proceedings; vacation of order for other cause
• Section 3-414 Formal proceedings concerning appointment of personal representative
• Section 3-501 Supervised administration; nature of proceeding
• Section 3-502 Supervised administration; petition; order
• Section 3-503 Supervised administration; effect on other proceedings
• Section 3-504 Supervised administration; powers of personal representative
• Section 3-505 Supervised administration; interim orders; distribution and closing orders
• Section 3-601 Qualification
• Section 3-602 Acceptance of appointment; consent to jurisdiction
• Section 3-603 Bond without sureties
• Section 3-604 Bond with sureties; procedure; reduction
• Section 3-605 Demand for sureties by interested person
• Section 3-606 Terms and conditions of bonds
• Section 3-607 Order restraining personal representative
• Section 3-608 Termination of appointment; general
• Section 3-609 Termination of appointment; death or disability
• Section 3-610 Reserved
• Section 3-611 Termination of appointment by removal; cause; procedure
• Section 3-612 Termination of appointment; change of testacy status
• Section 3-613 Successor personal representative
• Section 3-614 Special representative; appointment
• Section 3-615 Special representative; who may be appointed
• Section 3-616 Reserved
• Section 3-617 Special representative; formal proceedings; power and duties
• Section 3-618 Termination of appointment; special representative
• Section 3-701 Time of accrual of duties and powers
• Section 3-702 Priority among different letters
• Section 3-703 General duties; relation and liability to persons interested in estate; standing to sue
• Section 3-704 Personal representative to proceed without court order; exception
• Section 3-705 Reserved
• Section 3-706 Duty of personal representative; inventory and appraisement
• Section 3-707 Employment of appraisers
• Section 3-708 Reserved
• Section 3-709 Duty of personal representative; possession of estate
• Section 3-710 Power to avoid transfers
• Section 3-711 Reserved
• Section 3-712 Improper exercise of power; breach of fiduciary duty
• Section 3-713 Sale, encumbrance or transaction involving conflict of interest; voidable; exceptions
• Section 3-714 Persons dealing with personal representative; protection
• Section 3-715 Transactions authorized for personal representatives; exceptions
• Section 3-716 Powers and duties of successor personal representative
• Section 3-717 Co-representatives; when joint action required
• Section 3-718 Powers of surviving personal representative
• Section 3-719 Compensation of personal representative
• Section 3-720 Expenses in estate litigation
• Section 3-721 Reserved
• Section 3-801 Reserved
• Section 3-802 Statute of limitations
• Section 3-803 Limitations on presentation of claims
• Section 3-804 Manner of commencement of claims
• Section 3-805 Classification of claims
• Section 3-806 Allowance of claims
• Section 3-807 Payment of claims
• Section 3-808 Individual liability of personal representative
• Section 3-809 Secured claims
• Section 3-810 Claims not due and contingent or unliquidated claims
• Section 3-811 Counterclaims
• Section 3-812 Execution and levies prohibited
• Section 3-813 Compromise of claims
• Section 3-814 Encumbered assets
• Section 3-815 Administration in more than one state; duty of personal representative
• Section 3-816 Final distribution to domiciliary representative
• Section 3-901 Successors’ rights if no administration
• Section 3-902 Distribution; order in which assets appropriated; abatement
• Section 3-903 Right of retainer
• Section 3-904 Interest on general pecuniary devise
• Section 3-905 Reserved
• Section 3-906 Distribution in kind; valuation; method
• Section 3-907 Distribution in kind; evidence
• Section 3-908 Distribution; right or title of distributee
• Section 3-909 Improper distribution; liability of distributee
• Section 3-910, 3-911 Reserved
• Section 3-912 Private agreements among successors to decedent binding on personal representative
• Section 3-913 Distributions to trustee
• Section 3-914 Disposition of unclaimed assets
• Section 3-915 Distribution to person under disability
• Section 3-916 Apportionment of estate taxes
• Section 3-917 Partial distribution
• Section 3-1001 Formal proceedings terminating administration; testate or intestate; order of general protection
• Section 3-1002 Reserved
• Section 3-1003 Closing estates; by sworn statement of personal representative
• Section 3-1004 Liability of distributees to claimants
• Section 3-1005 Limitations on proceedings against personal representative
• Section 3-1006 Limitations on actions and proceedings against distributees
• Section 3-1007, 3-1008 Reserved
• Section 3-1101 Effect of approval of agreements involving trusts, inalienable interests, or interests of third persons
• Section 3-1102 Procedure for securing court approval of compromise
• Section 3-1103 Non-resident beneficiaries; payment of trust fund to foreign trustee
• Section 3-1201 Collection of personal property by affidavit
• Section 3-1202 Effect of affidavit
• Section 3-1203 Small estates; summary administration procedure
• Section 3-1204 Small estates; closing by sworn statement of personal representative

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