Title 20 — Probate and Administration of Decedents’ Estates. [Enacted title]

The appointment of a personal representative shall be terminated by his death or by a judicial determination of his disability. Upon the death or a judicial determination of disability of a personal representative, any interested person (including a person indicated in the decede…

A personal representative may resign by filing a written statement of resignation with the Register after giving at least 15 days written notice to all interested persons of intention to resign. If, within such 15 days, no one applies for the appointment of a successor personal r…

A personal representative shall be removed from office upon a finding by the Court that such representative: (1) misrepresented material facts in the proceedings leading to the appointment; (2) willfully disregarded an order of the Court; (3) is unable, for any reason, to dischar…

Upon a timely request for standard probate, a personal representative previously appointed shall have only the powers and duties of a special administrator until the appointment of a personal representative in the standard probate proceeding, subject to any order in the standard …

Upon the filing of a petition by an interested party, a creditor, or the Register, or upon the motion of the Court, the Court may appoint a special administrator: (1) when the appointment is necessary to protect property prior to the appointment and qualification of a personal re…

A special administrator shall satisfy the requirements of section 20-502 relating to the bond of a personal representative.

A special administrator shall have the duty and all powers necessary to collect, manage, and preserve the property, in addition to any other duties and powers authorized by the Court. Upon the appointment of a personal representative, the special administrator shall account for t…

The appointment of a special administrator terminates either upon the appointment of a personal representative or in the same manner provided in subchapter III of this chapter for the suspension and termination of a personal representative.

(a) A personal representative, whether supervised or unsupervised, is a fiduciary who, in addition to the specific duties expressed in this title, is under a general duty to settle and distribute the estate of the decedent in accordance with the terms of the will or laws relating…

(a) A personal representative shall proceed expeditiously with the settlement and distribution of a decedent’s estate and, except as may be otherwise specified or ordered by the Court in a particular proceeding, do so without adjudication, order, or direction of the Court, but th…

A personal representative has a right to and shall take possession or control of the decedent’s estate: except, that property in the possession of the person presumptively entitled to such property as heir or legatee shall be possessed by the personal representative only when suc…

Any interested person may move the Court to have a priority placed on the sale or transfer of any property of the estate, both real and personal, prior to the sale or transfer of that property. Upon the filing of such a motion, no sale or transfer of such estate property shall be…

(a) Within 20 days after appointment, the personal representative shall, unless notice has already been given under this subsection, publish a notice of the appointment in a newspaper of general circulation of the District of Columbia and any other publication the Court may order…

If a personal representative discovers that any document previously filed or given to interested persons by such representative or by any predecessor personal representative is incomplete or erroneous in any material respect, such representative shall promptly file with the Regis…

(a) Subject to the provisions of section 20-715, a personal representative shall, within 3 months of appointment, prepare a verified inventory of property owned by the decedent at the time of his death. The inventory shall list each item of property, describe each item of propert…

(a) In a supervised administration, the fair market value of each item listed in the inventory, as of the date of death of the decedent, shall be determined by an appraisal. Except as specifically provided by this subsection, the supervised personal representative may use either …

(a) Except as provided in section 20-731, the supervised personal representative shall report to the Court any property discovered after the filing of the original inventory by filing a supplemental inventory. For each item of after-discovered property, the supplemental inventory…

(a) If the administration is unsupervised, the personal representative, if not a special administrator or a successor to another representative who has previously discharged this duty, shall, within 3 months after appointment, prepare and deliver or mail to each interested person…

Whether the administration is or is not supervised, any interested person may, at any time before the estate is closed, petition the Court for revision of any value assigned to any item in the inventory and for inclusion or exclusion of any item erroneously omitted or listed in t…

Except as provided in section 20-731 , within 3 months of appointment, a supervised successor personal representative shall either file a new inventory to replace the inventory filed by a previous personal representative or file a written consent to the items as listed and valued…

Except as provided in section 20-731 , a supervised personal representative shall prepare verified written accounts of the management and distribution of the decedent’s property at the times and in the manner prescribed in this subchapter. The personal representative shall file t…

A supervised personal representative’s initial account of the administration of the decedent’s property shall contain: (a) the total value of property as shown in all inventories made prior to the date of the account; (b) all receipts of the estate made prior to the date of the a…

After an initial account has been rendered, subsequent accounts, whether filed by the same supervised personal representative or by a successor, shall contain: (a) the value of any assets in the possession or control of the personal representative as shown in the previous account…

Except as provided in section 20-731, a supervised personal representative shall render accounts: (1) within one year and one day of the first publication of notice pursuant to section 20-704; (2) within 9 months after the account referred to in paragraph (1) of this subsection a…

A supervised personal representative may be removed as provided in section 20-527 upon failure to file an account or the accompanying certificate as required by section 20-721 .

Any interested person may file an exception to an account with the Register within 30 days of the filing of the account. Such person shall mail a copy of the exception to the personal representative.

(a) A supervised personal representative shall be excused from filing with the Court the inventories required by sections 20-711 and 20-713, and the accounts required by sections 20-721, 20-722, and 20-723 if each heir or legatee signs a written waiver filed with the Register. A …

(a) A supervised personal representative shall be excused from a formal Court audit of the accounts required by sections 20-721, 20-722, and 20-723 if authorized by written waiver signed by each heir or legatee and filed with the Register. A waiver under this section shall state …

Nothing shall excuse a personal representative, whether supervised or unsupervised, from the duty to mail or deliver inventories and accounts to each interested person as provided in sections 20-711 , 20-713 , 20-721 and 20-734 .

An unsupervised personal representative shall account to interested persons for his receipts, disbursements, and distribution of estate assets at reasonable intervals, or on reasonable demand, and may be compelled to account to the Court in a proceeding initiated by an interested…

(a) Unless otherwise ordered by the Court for good cause shown in a particular matter, the personal representative in an unsupervised administration shall close the estate by filing with the Court a Certificate of Completion, which shall be verified and in a form prescribed by th…

In the absence of fraud, neither the personal representative nor any distributee of estate property shall be liable for any claim, liability, or damage claimed by any interested person (or any person or entity claiming by or through such interested person): (1) who has received t…

Except as otherwise validly limited by the will, this title, or by an order of Court made in accordance with this title, a personal representative may, in addition to any power or authority contained in the will and any other common-law or statutory power, properly: (1) take poss…

A personal representative may at any time petition the Court for permission to act in any matter relating to the administration of the estate.

If any personal representative’s exercise of power concerning the estate is improper, such representative is liable for breach of fiduciary duty to interested persons for resulting damage or loss to the same extent as a trustee of an express trust. The exercise of power in violat…

Any sale, lease, or encumbrance to the personal representative, the personal representative’s spouse, agent or attorney, or any corporation, trust, or other entity in which such individual has a substantial beneficial interest, or any other transaction which is affected by a subs…

Except as otherwise provided in section 20-753 , a person who in good faith either assists or deals with a personal representative for value is protected as if the personal representative properly exercised his power. The fact that a person knowingly deals with a personal represe…

Except as may otherwise be ordered by the Court for good cause shown in respect to a supervised personal representative or a special administrator, a personal representative is entitled to reasonable compensation for services. If a will provides for compensation of the personal r…

Without regard to the provisions of section 20-751 , when a personal representative or a person nominated as personal representative defends or prosecutes in good faith and with just cause any proceeding relating to the decedent’s estate, whether successful or not, such personal …

(a) On petition of any interested person (other than one who has consented after fair disclosure, and any person or entity claiming by or through such interested person) or on appropriate motion if administration is supervised, and after notice to all interested persons and heari…

No proceeding to enforce a claim against a decedent’s estate may be revived or commenced before the appointment of a personal representative. After appointment, and until the estate is closed, the procedures prescribed by this chapter shall be followed. After the estate is closed…

Unless a contrary intent is expressly indicated in the will, no claim which was barred by any statute of limitations at the time of the decedent’s death shall be allowed or paid. In an action against the estate of a deceased person, the interval between the death of the deceased …

Except as otherwise expressly provided by statute with respect to claims of the United States and the District of Columbia, (1) all claims against a decedent’s estate, whether due or to become due, absolute or contingent, liquidated or unliquidated, founded on contract or other l…

Where the decedent was the head of the family or a householder the property exempt under sections 15-501 through 15-503 shall continue to be exempt from all claims against the decedent.

(a) A claimant shall present a claim against a decedent’s estate by delivering or mailing, return receipt requested, a written statement of the claim, verified in accordance with section 20-102: (1) to the personal representative with a copy to the Register; or (2) to the Registe…

(a) If the applicable assets of the estate are insufficient to pay all claims in full, the personal representative shall make payment in the following order: (1) Court costs, publication costs, and bond premiums; (2) Funeral expenses, not exceeding $1,500; (3) Fiduciary and attor…

Where an estate is solvent and the will expressly empowers a personal representative to pay funeral expenses in an amount left to the personal representative’s discretion, then no allowance from the Court shall be required. In all other cases, the Court may allow, in its discreti…

(a) For claims presented as provided in section 20-905 within the time limit prescribed by section 20-903, the personal representative shall mail a notice to each claimant stating (1) that the claim has been allowed in a stated amount; (2) that the claim has been disallowed in wh…

(a) No later than 8 months from the date of the first publication of notice of the appointment of a personal representative, the personal representative shall, unless the Court extends the time for good cause shown, proceed to pay the claims allowed against the estate in the orde…

A personal representative may convene, on a day designated by the Court, a meeting of all creditors whose claims have been duly presented pursuant to section 20-905 . The personal representative shall give written notice to all such creditors of the time, date, place and purpose …