What is Probate?
'''Probate''' is how the [[Will (law)|will]] of a dead person is taken and used by a court.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Probate Process|url=https://www.americanbar.org/groups/real_property_trust_estate/resources/estate_planning/the_probate_process.html|website=American Bar Association|access-date=14 June 2017}}</ref> Probate checks that paying the dead person's debts, and giving away the dead person's money and property follows the instructions in the will.<ref>{{cite web|title=How Probate Works|url=https://www.expertlaw.com/library/estates-wills-trusts/how-probate-works|website=ExpertLaw.com|access-date=14 June 2017|archive-date=20 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920093208/https://www.expertlaw.com/library/estates-wills-trusts/how-probate-works|url-status=dead}}</ref> In many [[Jurisdiction|jurisdictions]] the court where probate happens is called a ''probate court''. Probate follows these steps:<ref>{{cite web|title=What is Probate?|url=http://www.osbar.org/public/legalinfo/1117_probate.htm|website=Oregon State Bar|access-date=14 June 2017}}</ref> *Filing of the will and opening an estate in the probate court, *Giving notice of the probate proceeding to legal heirs, beneficiaries, and creditors, *Checking that the will is legal and valid, *Figuring out the value of the property in the dead person's estate, *Paying the debts of the estate, including taxes, and *Giving the heirs of the estate their ''inheritances'', the gifts that the dead person left to them in the will. For people who die without much money or property, many jurisdictions allow simple probate that is cheaper and easier to do.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Collinson|first1=Patrick|title=Probate: avoid a final rip-off when sorting out your loved one's estate|url=https://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/sep/21/probate-avoid-rip-off-comparing|access-date=14 June 2017|agency=The Guardian|date=21 September 2013}}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} {{Law}} [[Category:Property law]]