Before an Executor or Administrator is given authorization to settle the Estate, state law typically requires that they notify Beneficiaries, or other interested parties, that a Petition has been submitted to Probate Court.

This notification gives people the opportunity to contest the Will, the chosen Executor or Administrator, or make any specific requests during a hearing.

Typically, the court will provide a form to notify interested parties about the hearing in two ways:

• For publication in a local newspaper where the deceased lived


• To be mailed directly

Typically, "interested parties" refers to the following people who had relation to the deceased:

• All people or organizations (ex: charities, religious institutions, etc) named in the Will


• Each person or business nominated to be Executor of Estate


• All people who would have been entitled to receive Inheritance if there was no Will, as governed by state Probate law

Probate Court may want confirmation that notices have been mailed and published, so alert the court when complete.

Laws vary from state to state, so review local Probate Court processes and procedures at the links below for more information before getting started.