Title 62, South Carolina Probate Code

If a petition in a testacy proceeding is unopposed, the court may order probate or intestacy on the strength of the pleadings if satisfied that the conditions of Section 62-3-409 have been met or conduct a hearing in open court and require proof of the matters necessary to suppor…

In a contested case in which the proper execution of a will is at issue: (1) if the will is self-proved pursuant to Section 62-2-503, the will satisfies the requirements for execution, subject to rebuttal, without the testimony of any attesting witness, upon filing the will and t…

In contested cases, petitioners who seek to establish intestacy have the burden of establishing prima facie proof of death, venue, and heirship. Proponents of a will have the burden of establishing prima facie proof of due execution in all cases and, if they are also petitioners,…

A final order of a court of another state determining testacy, or the validity or construction of a will made in a proceeding involving notice to and an opportunity for contest by all interested persons, must be accepted as determinative by the courts of this State if it includes…

Upon proof of service of the summons and petition, and after any hearing and notice that may be necessary, if the court finds that the testator is dead, venue is proper, and that the proceeding was commenced within the limitation prescribed by Section 62-3-108, it shall determine…

(A) If two or more instruments are offered for probate before a final order is entered in a formal testacy proceeding, more than one instrument may be probated if neither expressly revokes the other or contains provisions which work a total revocation by implication. If more than…

If it becomes evident in the course of a formal testacy proceeding that, though one or more instruments are entitled to be probated, the decedent's estate is or may be partially intestate, the court shall enter an order to that effect.

Subject to appeal and subject to vacation as provided herein and in Section 62-3-413, a formal testacy order under Sections 62-3-409 through 62-3-411, including an order that the decedent left no valid will and determining heirs, is final as to all persons with respect to all iss…

For good cause shown, an order in a formal testacy proceeding may be modified or vacated within the time allowed for appeal.

(a) A formal proceeding for adjudication regarding the priority or qualification of one who is an applicant for appointment as a personal representative, or of one who previously has been appointed a personal representative in informal proceedings, if an issue concerning the test…

Administration under Part 5 [Sections 62-3-501 et seq.] is a single in rem proceeding to secure complete administration and settlement of a decedent's estate under the continuing authority of the court which extends until entry of an order approving distribution of the estate and…

A petition for administration under Part 5 [Sections 62-3-501 et seq.] may be filed by any interested person or by a personal representative at any time, a prayer for administration under Part 5 [Sections 62-3-501 et seq.] may be joined with a petition in a testacy or appointment…

(a) The pendency of a proceeding for administration under Part 5 [Sections 62-3-501 et seq.] of a decedent's estate stays action on any informal application then pending or thereafter filed. (b) If a will has been previously probated in informal proceedings, the effect of the fil…

Unless restricted by the court, a personal representative under Part 5 [Sections 62-3-501 et seq.] has, without interim orders approving exercise of a power, all powers of personal representatives under this Code, but he shall not exercise his power to make any distribution of th…

Unless otherwise ordered by the court, administration under Part 5 [Sections 62-3-501 et seq.] is terminated by order in accordance with time restrictions, notices, and contents of orders prescribed for proceedings under Section 62-3-1001. Interim orders approving or directing pa…

Prior to receiving letters, a personal representative shall qualify by filing with the appointing court any required bond and a statement of acceptance of the duties of the office.

By accepting appointment, a personal representative submits personally to the jurisdiction of the court in any proceeding relating to the estate that may be instituted by any interested person. Notice of any proceeding shall be delivered to the personal representative, or mailed …

(A) Except as may be required pursuant to Section 62-3-605 or upon the appointment of a special administrator, a personal representative is not required to file a bond if: (1) all heirs and devisees agree to waive the bond requirement; (2) the personal representative is the sole …

If bond is required and the provisions of the will or order do not specify the amount, unless stated in his application or petition, the person qualifying shall file a statement under oath with the court indicating his best estimate of the value of the personal estate of the dece…

Any person apparently having an interest in the estate worth in excess of five thousand dollars, or any creditor having a claim in excess of five thousand dollars, may make a written demand that a personal representative give bond. The demand must be filed with the court and a co…

(a) The following requirements and provisions apply to any bond required by this part: (1) Bonds shall name the judge of the court as obligee for the benefit of the persons interested in the estate and shall be conditioned upon the faithful discharge by the fiduciary of all dutie…

(a) Upon application of any interested person, the court by temporary order may restrain a personal representative from performing specified acts of administration, disbursement or distribution, or exercise of any powers or discharge of any duties of his office, or make any other…

Termination of appointment of a personal representative occurs as indicated in Sections 62-3-609 to 62-3-612, inclusive. Termination ends the right and power pertaining to the office of personal representative as conferred by this Code or any will, except that a personal represen…

The death of a personal representative or the appointment of a conservator or guardian for the person of a personal representative terminates his appointment. Until appointment and qualification of a successor or special representative to replace the deceased or protected represe…

(a) Unless otherwise provided, an order closing an estate as provided in Section 62-3-1001 terminates an appointment of a personal representative and relieves the personal representative's attorney of record of any further duties to the court. (b) A personal representative may re…

(a) A person interested in the estate may petition for removal of a personal representative for cause at any time. Upon filing of the petition, the court shall fix a time and place for hearing. Notice shall be given by the petitioner to the personal representative, and to other p…

Except as otherwise ordered in formal proceedings, the probate of a will subsequent to the appointment of a personal representative in intestacy or under a will which is superseded by formal probate of another will, or the vacation of an informal probate of a will subsequent to t…

Parts 3 and 4 of this article [Sections 62-3-301 et seq. and Sections 62-3-401 et seq.] govern proceedings for appointment of a personal representative to succeed one whose appointment has been terminated. After appointment and qualification, a successor personal representative m…

A special administrator may be appointed: (1) informally by the court on the application of an interested person when necessary: (a) to protect the estate of a decedent prior to the appointment of a general personal representative or if a prior appointment has been terminated as …

(a) If a special administrator is to be appointed pending the probate of a will which is the subject of a pending application or petition for probate, the person named executor in the will shall be appointed if available and qualified. (b) In other cases, any proper person may be…

A special administrator appointed by the court in informal proceedings pursuant to Section 62-3-614(1) has the duty to collect and manage the assets of the estate, to preserve them, to account therefor, and to deliver them to the general personal representative upon his qualifica…

A special administrator appointed by order of the court in any formal proceeding has the power of a general personal representative except as limited in the appointment and duties as prescribed in the order. The appointment may be for a specified time, to perform particular acts,…

The appointment of a special administrator terminates in accordance with the provisions of the order of appointment or on the appointment of a general personal representative. In other cases, the appointment of a special administrator is subject to termination as provided in Sect…

Any person who obtains, receives, or possesses property of whatever kind, belonging to the decedent, by means of fraud or without paying valuable consideration equivalent to the value of the property, shall be charged and chargeable as executor of his own wrong (executor de son t…

Acting sua sponte or upon the petition of any interested person, the probate judge of the county in which a deceased person was domiciled at the time of his death may order the executor de son tort to account for the property in his possession. Upon a finding that the property ha…

The rights of the probate court and interested parties set forth in Section 62-3-620 shall survive the death of the executor de son tort.

The duties and powers of a personal representative commence upon his appointment. The powers of a personal representative relate back in time to give acts by the person appointed which are beneficial to the estate occurring prior to appointment the same effect as those occurring …

A person to whom general letters are issued first has exclusive authority under the letters until his appointment is terminated or modified. If, through error, general letters are afterwards issued to another, the first appointed representative may recover any property of the est…

(a) A personal representative is a fiduciary who shall observe the standards of care described by Section 62-7-804. A personal representative has a duty to settle and distribute the estate of the decedent in accordance with the terms of a probated and effective will and this code…

A personal representative shall proceed expeditiously with the settlement and distribution of a decedent's estate under the supervision of the court, as follows: (a) Immediately after his appointment he shall publish the notice to creditors required by Section 62-3-801. (b) Withi…

Not later than thirty days after his appointment every personal representative, except any special administrator, shall give information of his appointment to the heirs (regardless of whether the decedent died intestate and determined as if the decedent died intestate) and devise…

(A) Within ninety days after his appointment, a personal representative, who is not a special administrator or a successor to another representative who has previously discharged this duty, shall: (1) prepare an inventory and appraisement of probate property owned by the decedent…

The personal representative may obtain a qualified and disinterested appraiser to assist him in ascertaining the fair market value as of the date of the decedent's death of any asset. Different persons may be employed to appraise different kinds of assets included in the estate. …

If any property not included in the original inventory and appraisement comes to the knowledge of a personal representative or if the personal representative learns that the value or description indicated in the original inventory for any item is erroneous or misleading, he shall…

Except as otherwise provided by a decedent's will, every personal representative has a right to, and shall take possession or control of, the decedent's property, except that any real property or tangible personal property may be left with or surrendered to the person presumptive…

The property liable for the payment of unsecured debts of a decedent includes all property transferred by him by any means which is in law void or voidable as against his creditors, and subject to prior liens, the right to recover this property, so far as necessary for the paymen…