Probate - General

In general, a foreign personal representative may sue and may be sued in DC pursuant to DC Code, sec. 20-342. You may file suit in DC against a foreign personal representative if the foreign personal representative has actual knowledge of a claim barred in another jurisdiction that does not rise to the level of a "final judgment" under the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the United States Constitution. See Richard v. McGreevy, 136 DWLR 170 at pp.

Pursuant to Super Ct. Prob. R. 401(d), the Register of Wills may only issue a final certificate if all claims have been released.

No.

No. Under the law in the District of Columbia, the will must be in writing, signed by the testator, and attested and signed by at least 2 credible witnesses in the presence of the testator.

Review the contents of the case file (also called jacket) at Court, or review the docket in the Court’s online case search system at Court Cases Online.

If you are not authorized to enter the safe deposit box of the decedent, you may petition for the appointment of a special administrator to open the safe deposit box by filing a Petition for Appointment of Special Administrator to Enter Safe Deposit Box and Order.

The last day that claims can be filed is six months from the first date of publication of the Notice of Appointment of Foreign Personal Representative and Notice to Creditors.

The Probate Division keeps wills forever as a permanent part of the public legal record. The will is kept in the Probate Division for a period of 10 years from the date of filing. After 10 years, it is archived permanently.

File a petition for standard probate, and follow the procedure set forth in Superior Court, Probate Division Rule 403(a)(4). See Filing Standard Probate Proceedings in the District of Columbia.

If the Probate Division copies a will for you, it will cost 50¢ per page. If you wish to visit the Probate Division to copy the will yourself, you may do so at the public copier at a cost of 25¢ per page.