Chapter 59 — PROBATE CODE

59-101. Name of act. This act is named and may be cited as the Kansas probate code. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 1; July 1. Law Review and Bar Journal References: Survey of law of administration of estates, Richard C. Harris, 12 K.L.R. 127 (1963). Commentary on Kansas law on stat…

59-102. Definitions. As used in the Kansas probate code, unless the context otherwise indicates: (1) "District court" means judge of the district court when that meaning is necessary to effectuate the general purpose of the provisions of the Kansas probate code. (2) "Personal rep…

59-103. Application of chapter; form of petitions. (a) Chapter 59 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated may be used: (1) To admit last wills and testaments to probate. (2) To grant and revoke letters testamentary and of administration. (3) To direct and control the official acts of ex…

59-104. Docket fee; authorized only by legislative enactment; poverty affidavit; additional court costs. (a) Docket fee. (1) Except as otherwise provided by law, no case shall be filed or docketed in the district court under the provisions of chapter 59 of the Kansas Statutes Ann…

59-104a. History: L. 1984, ch. 147, § 1; L. 1992, ch. 128, § 11; L. 1993, ch. 193, § 1; L. 1995, ch. 193, § 13; L. 1996, ch. 234, § 13; L. 2003, ch. 101, § 10; L. 2004, ch. 95, § 3; L. 2006, ch. 215, § 10; Repealed, L. 2007, ch. 195, § 59; July 1. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COOR…

59-105. Revocation of spousal inheritance rights upon divorce. (a) As used in this section: (1) "Disposition or appointment of property" includes a transfer of an item of property or any other benefit to a beneficiary designated in a governing instrument. (2) "Divorce or annulmen…

[Repealed or reserved.]

[Repealed or reserved.]

[Repealed or reserved.]

59-201. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 3; L. 1951, ch. 334, § 1; L. 1969, ch. 277, § 1; L. 1973, ch. 229, § 1; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Source or prior law: 19-1101. CASE ANNOTATIONS 1. Probate judge-elect's death prior to qualification; incumbent holds o…

59-202. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 4; L. 1955, ch. 274, § 1; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Source or prior law: 19-1102. CASE ANNOTATIONS 1. History of section discussed in construing and applying prior laws. In re Estate of Moore, 163 Kan. 147, 158, 181 P…

59-202a. History: L. 1955, ch. 273, § 1; L. 1957, ch. 320, § 1; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents A…

59-203. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 5; L. 1965, ch. 346, § 2; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Source or prior law: 20-1108, 22-1307. CASE ANNOTATIONS 1. Judge pro tem appointed by clerk; authority of judge pro tem. Price v. Gibson, 165 Kan. 10, 11, 13, 14, 16…

59-204. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 6; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Source or prior law: 20-1109. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Docum…

59-205. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 7; L. 1965, ch. 346, § 3; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Source or prior law: 20-1110. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES…

59-205a. History: L. 1965, ch. 230, § 1; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents Archived School Finance …

59-205b. History: L. 1965, ch. 230, § 2; L. 1967, ch. 312, § 1; L. 1969, ch. 206, § 4; L. 1972, ch. 154, § 2; L. 1973, ch. 175, § 56; L. 1974, ch. 361, § 52; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026…

59-205c. History: L. 1965, ch. 230, § 3; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents Archived School Finance …

59-205d. History: L. 1965, ch. 230, § 4; Repealed, L. 1972, ch. 154, § 4; March 25. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents Archived School Finance Documents…

59-205e. History: L. 1965, ch. 230, § 5; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents Archived School Finance …

59-206. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 8; L. 1963, ch. 160, § 6; L. 1963, ch. 296, § 1; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Source or prior law: 19-1103. CASE ANNOTATIONS 1. Judge-elect's death prior to qualification does not create vacancy. Smith v. Snell, 154 Kan.…

59-207. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 9; L. 1965, ch. 346, § 4; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Source or prior law: 22-819. CASE ANNOTATIONS 1. Effective assistance of counsel not denied merely because appointed attorney holds office of probate judge. Widener …

59-208. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 10; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Source or prior law: 22-1306. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Docu…

59-209. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 11; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Source or prior law: 20-1102. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Docu…

59-210. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 12; L. 1965, ch. 346, § 5; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Source or prior law: 20-1105, 22-209. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF…

59-211. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 13; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Source or prior law: 20-1103, 20-1104, 20-1106. CASE ANNOTATIONS 1. Discussed; court's jurisdiction to vacate order after 30 days under K.S.A. 59-2213 determined. In re Estate of Lillibri…

59-212. Records to be kept by court for chapter 59 actions. (a) The following shall be kept by the court for proceedings under chapter 59 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated: (1) An appearance docket, in which shall be listed under the name of the decedent, ward, conservatee, mental…

59-213. Filing of probate proceeding documents. A duly certified copy of any document on file or of record in any probate proceedings in the district court of any county of the state may be filed in the district court of any other county of the state, and when so filed shall have…

59-214. Inspection of books and records; copies. The books and records of the district court involving proceedings pursuant to chapter 59 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated shall be open to inspection by all persons at all times, except as provided in adoption proceedings, in K.S.A…

59-215. History: L. 1967, ch. 220, § 5; L. 1969, ch. 201, § 5; L. 1972, ch. 153, § 6; L. 1973, ch. 175, § 7; L. 1974, ch. 361, § 53; L. 1975, ch. 269, § 1; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Source or prior law: 28-805, 28-907. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDIN…

59-216. History: L. 1973, ch. 175, § 58; L. 1974; ch. 361, § 54; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents …

59-217. History: L. 1943, ch. 166, § 7; L. 1945, ch. 208, § 7; L. 1947, ch. 255, § 6; L. 1949, ch. 267, § 8; L. 1953, ch. 214, § 6; L. 1957, ch. 247, § 7; L. 1961, ch. 217, § 6; L. 1963, ch. 239, § 6; L. 1965, ch. 159, § 6; L. 1967, ch. 219, § 4; L. 1969, ch. 204, § 16; L. 1972, …

59-218. History: L. 1941, ch. 236, § 8; L. 1943, ch. 165, § 6; L. 1945, ch. 206, § 6; L. 1947, ch. 254, § 7; L. 1949, ch. 268, § 7; L. 1951, ch. 274, § 6; L. 1953, ch. 212, § 5; L. 1955, ch. 222, § 5; L. 1957, ch. 246, § 7; L. 1961, ch. 215, § 1; L. 1963, ch. 238, § 19; L. 1965, …

59-219. History: L. 1937, ch. 233, § 8; L. 1943, ch. 164, § 7; L. 1945, ch. 205, § 7; L. 1947, ch. 253, § 6; L. 1949, ch. 266, § 8; L. 1953, ch. 210, § 8; L. 1955, ch. 221, § 1; L. 1957, ch. 245, § 8; L. 1959, ch. 187, § 7; L. 1961, ch. 213, § 11; L. 1963, ch. 242, § 10; L. 1965,…

59-220. History: L. 1975; ch. 269, § 13; L. 1976, ch. 380, § 9; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 380, § 26; January 10, 1977. Previous | Next LEGISLATIVE COORDINATING COUNCIL General Policies 2026 Archived LCC Documents Archived LCC Meetings REVISOR OF STATUTES Archived Session Documents A…

59-301. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 17; L. 1965, ch. 346, § 8; L. 1976, ch. 243, § 42; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Source or prior law: 20-1101, 20-1107, 22-404, 22-904, 22-1207, 62-2001, 76-1211. CASE ANNOTATIONS 1. District court cannot supersede probat…

59-302. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 18; Repealed, L. 1976, ch. 242, § 99; January 10, 1977. Source or prior law: 20-1101, 22-213, 22-216, 22-716, 22-720. CASE ANNOTATIONS 1. Probate court judgment distributing estate cannot be collaterally attacked. Cole v. Thacker, 158 Kan. 242…

59-303. History: L. 1953, ch. 456, § 1; L. 1957, ch. 321, § 1; Repealed, L. 1959, ch. 242, § 1; June 30. CASE ANNOTATIONS 1. Section held unconstitutional on various grounds. In re Estate of DeLano, 181 Kan. 729, 731, 734, 735, 736, 742, 744, 745, 746, 747, 748, 315 P.2d 611. Pre…

59-401. Homestead. A homestead to the extent of 160 acres of land lying without, or of one acre lying within, the limits of an incorporated city, or a manufactured home or mobile home, occupied by the decedent and family, at the time of the owner's death, as a residence, and cont…

59-402. Same; partition. The homestead shall not be subject to forced partition unless the surviving spouse remarries, nor until all the children arrive at the age of majority. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 20; July 1. Source or prior law: 22-105. Law Review and Bar Journal Refere…

59-403. Allowance to spouse and minor children. When a resident of the state dies, testate or intestate, the surviving spouse shall be allowed, for the benefit of such spouse and the decedent's minor children during the period of their minority, from the personal or real property…

59-404. Effect of election to take under will by spouse. The surviving spouse, by electing to take under the will of the decedent or by consenting thereto, does not waive the homestead right nor the right to such allowance, unless it clearly appears from the will that the provisi…

59-501. Definitions. As used in K.S.A. 59-502 through 59-514, inclusive: (a) "Children" means biological children, including a posthumous child; children adopted as provided by law; and children whose parentage is or has been determined under the Kansas parentage act or prior law…

59-502. Descent of property of intestate resident. Subject to any homestead rights, the allowances provided in K.S.A. 59-403, and the payment of reasonable funeral expenses, expenses of last sickness and costs of administration, taxes, and debts, the property of a resident decede…

59-503. History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 25; Repealed, L. 1967, ch. 314, § 13; July 1. Revisor's Note: Later act, see 59-804 et seq. CASE ANNOTATIONS 1. Applied; postnuptial agreement held not to deprive surviving spouse of inheritance. In re Estate of Troemper, 160 Kan. 464, 467, 16…

59-504. Surviving spouse. If the decedent leaves a spouse and no children nor issue of a previously deceased child, all the decedent's property shall pass to the surviving spouse. If the decedent leaves a spouse and a child, or children, or issue of a previously deceased child or…

59-505. Same; half of realty to surviving spouse. Except as provided further, the surviving spouse shall be entitled to receive one-half of all real estate of which the decedent at any time during the marriage was seized or possessed and to the disposition whereof the survivor sh…

59-506. Surviving children or issue. If the decedent leaves a child, or children, or issue of a previously deceased child or children, and no spouse, all his or her property shall pass to the surviving child, or in equal shares to the surviving children and the living issue, if a…

59-507. No spouse, child or issue, of the decedent. If the decedent leaves no surviving spouse, child, or issue, but leaves a surviving parent or surviving parents, all of his or her property shall pass to such surviving parent, or in equal shares to such surviving parents, but i…

59-508. No spouse, child, issue, or parents. If the decedent leaves no surviving spouse, child, issue, or parents, the respective shares of his or her property which would have passed to the parents, had both of them been living, shall pass to the heirs of such parents respective…