"Estate administration" refers to the process which must be followed when the estate of a person who has recently died is being distributed, either according to his or her wishes as laid out in a will, or the laws governing the distribution of the assets of a person who dies without a will.

If the decedent wrote a will before his or her death in Westbrook, Maine, the process will be carried out according to the directives contained in the will, assuming they are valid and enforceable.

Most frequently, a will names a person to serve as executor, whose job it is to ensure that the estate is properly administered.

The executor is frequently the person who will get the most money or property out of the will if it is given effect, because this is the person who will have the greatest incentive to see that the probate process goes as quickly as possible.

What if The Will Does Not Name an Executor?

If a will in Westbrook, Maine does not name a person to serve as executor, or the decedent dies without having written a will, the court will appoint a person to act as estate administrator.

This is most frequently the person who would inherit most under the will, or under the intestacy scheme of Maine. Intestacy is when a person dies without having made a will, or if a will turns out to be invalid. The intestacy laws of each state control how property is distributed in such a situation. In most states, it simply goes to the closest living relative.

When a will is silent as to who should be the executor, any person who has some direct interest in the outcome can ask to be named executor by the Westbrook, Maine court.

When the executor is chosen, they serve as a sort of incarnation of the decedent's estate - the estate's legal interests become the executor's interests, and the executor is expected to protect the estate's interests as they would their own.

Can a Westbrook, Maine Estate Administration Attorney Help?

If you find yourself named in a will as executor of an estate, and aren't sure how to meet your responsibilities, or where to begin, it would be a good idea to consult with an efficient Westbrook, Maine lawyer who can help you navigate this sometimes-perplexing process.