In Pryor Creek, Oklahoma, probate is a legal procedure that a court must go through before giving effect to a will. Before putting a will into effect, a court has to determine that it is valid.

During probate, the court in Pryor Creek, Oklahoma will determine the validity of the will, distinguish and inventory the decedent's assets, account for the decedent's debts and back taxes, and distribute the decedent's property, among other things.

The executor of the estate is frequently named in the will. If not, the probate court in Pryor Creek, Oklahoma will name will appoint a person to serve as executor. This is typically the person who stands to inherit the most under the will.

The executor is the person responsible for initiating the probate proceedings. The person who would inherit the most from the will is appointed, because they have the greatest inducement to move the process along as quickly as possible, so they can get their inheritance.

Duties of the Executor in Pryor Creek, Oklahoma

There are quite a few things that an executor is responsible for. At the outset, they are required to file the probate action with the appropriate court. No progress, let alone any final disposition of the estate, can be made until this happens.

Additionally, the executor has to make sure that the decedent's relatives and other people named in the will have notice of the testator's death, typically through the filing of a copy of the official death certificate.

The executor will also have to collect and make available a list of all of the decedent's debts and assets, as well as a list of those who stand to inherit from the decedent.

Because the executor serves as the living symbol of the decedent's estate, they are solely responsible for proving the validity of the will. This is a lot of work, but because executors are typically chosen based on how much they stand to inherit from a will once its validity is confirmed, they have a good incentive to see the process to completion.

How Can A Pryor Creek, Oklahoma Lawyer Help?

Because of the difficulties involved in probate, it would be smart to hire a knowledgeable Pryor Creek, Oklahoma probate lawyer, especially if you are the executor of an estate and unsure how to proceed.