District of Columbia § 20-321 Nature of proceeding.

District of Columbia Statutes

§ 20-321 — Nature of proceeding.

District of Columbia § 20-321

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

Ch. 3Opening the Estate.

Subch. IIIFormal Probate Proceeding.

This text of District of Columbia § 20-321 (Nature of proceeding.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

D.C. Code § 20-321 (2026).

Text

A formal probate proceeding is a proceeding for the probate of a will or a determination of the decedent’s intestacy, particularly when due execution of a will cannot be presumed under section 20-312  , and for the appointment of a personal representative. This proceeding is instituted when an interested person or creditor files a petition for a formal probate proceeding with the Court in accordance with the provisions of section 20-304  ; and the filing of a complaint shall not be required for these purposes. This proceeding is conducted after notice as provided in section 20-323  . If no petition for abbreviated or formal probate is filed within a reasonable time, the Register, with the approval of the Court, may file a petition for formal probate.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

A formal probate proceeding is a proceeding for the probate of a will or a determination of the decedent’s intestacy, particularly when due execution of a will cannot be presumed under section 20-312 , and for the appointment of a personal representative. This proceeding is instituted when an interested person or creditor files a petition for a formal probate proceeding with the Court in accordance with the provisions of section 20-304 ; and the filing of a complaint shall not be required for these purposes. This proceeding is conducted after notice as provided in section 20-323 . If no petition for abbreviated or formal probate is filed within a reasonable time, the Register, with the approval of the Court, may file a petition for formal probate.