"...nobody does a better job than Nolo." - USA Today
Nolo Logo

Since 1971, Nolo's goal has been simple: Make America's legal system accessible to everyone. Our website, books, software, online legal forms and lawyer directory help millions of individuals, businesses and nonprofits solve their legal problems each year.

Small text sizeMedium text sizeLarge text size Print this page
 

Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary

Legal Dictionary Home

probate court
A specialized court or division of a state trial court that considers cases concerning the distribution of deceased persons' property and the appointment of guardians for children or adults who need care and supervision. Called "surrogate's court" in New York and several other states, this court normally examines the authenticity of a will or, if a person dies without a will (intestate), figures out who inherits under state law. It then oversees a procedure to pay the deceased person's debts and to distribute the assets to the proper inheritors. (See also: probate)
Dictionary

Search the whole dictionary:

Bestsellers

Browse all books, software & legal forms >

Find A Lawyer

Enter zip or city, state ("Boston, MA")

Attorney Profiles

Attorneys: Get Listed

Advertisement

Advertise Here

Nolo Partner

This service is operated by JustAnswer.
Nolo provides no guarantee of the information provided.