Haw. Rev. Stat. § 560:3-301

Current through the 2024 Legislative Session

Section 560:3-301 - Informal probate or appointment proceedings; application; contents

(a) Applications for informal probate or informal appointment shall be directed to the registrar, and verified by the applicant to be accurate and complete to the best of the applicant's knowledge and belief as to the following information:

(1) Every application for informal probate of a will or for informal appointment of a personal representative, other than a special or successor representative, shall contain the following:

(A) A statement of the interest of the applicant, together with the name; residence, business, or mailing address; and telephone number of the applicant;

(B) The name and date of death of the decedent, the decedent's age, the county and state of the decedent's domicile at the time of death, and the names and addresses of the spouse or reciprocal beneficiary, children, heirs, and devisees and the ages of any who are minors so far as known or ascertainable with reasonable diligence by the applicant;

(C) If the decedent was not domiciled in the State at the time of the decedent's death, a statement showing venue;

(D) A statement identifying and indicating the address of any personal representative of the decedent appointed in this State or elsewhere whose appointment has not been terminated;

(E) A statement indicating whether the applicant has received a demand for notice, or is aware of any demand for notice of any probate or appointment proceeding concerning the decedent that may have been filed in this State or elsewhere; and

(F) That the time limit for informal probate as provided in this article has not expired either because five years or less have passed since the decedent's death, or, if more than five years from death have passed, circumstances as described by section 560:3-108 authorizing tardy probate or appointment have occurred;

(2) An application for informal probate of a will shall state the following in addition to the statements required by paragraph (1):

(A) That the original of the decedent's last will is in the possession of the court, or accompanies the application, or that an authenticated copy of an original will probated, filed, deposited, or lodged in another jurisdiction accompanies the application;

(B) That the applicant, to the best of applicant's knowledge, believes the will to have been validly executed; and

(C) That after the exercise of reasonable diligence, the applicant is unaware of any instrument revoking the will, and that the applicant believes that the instrument that is the subject of the application is the decedent's last will;

(3) An application for informal appointment of a personal representative to administer an estate under a will shall describe the will by date of execution and state the time and place of probate or the pending application or petition for probate. The application for appointment shall adopt the statements in the application or petition for probate and state the name, address, and priority for appointment of the person whose appointment is sought;

(4) An application for informal appointment of an administrator in intestacy shall state in addition to the statements required by paragraph (1):

(A) That after the exercise of reasonable diligence, the applicant is unaware of any unrevoked testamentary instrument relating to property having a situs in this State under section 560:1-301 or a statement why any instrument of which the applicant may be aware is not being probated; and

(B) The priority of the person whose appointment is sought and the names of any other persons having a prior or equal right to the appointment under section 560:3-203;

(5) An application for appointment of a personal representative to succeed a personal representative appointed under a different testacy status shall refer to the order in the most recent testacy proceeding, state the name and address of the person whose appointment is sought and of the person whose appointment will be terminated if the application is granted, and describe the priority of the applicant; and

(6) An application for appointment of a personal representative to succeed a personal representative who has tendered a resignation as provided in section 560:3-610(c), or whose appointment has been terminated by death or removal, shall adopt the statements in the application or petition that led to the appointment of the person being succeeded except as specifically changed or corrected, state the name and address of the person who seeks appointment as successor, and describe the priority of the applicant.

(b) By verifying an application for informal probate, or informal appointment, the applicant submits personally to the jurisdiction of the court in any proceeding for relief from fraud relating to the application, or for perjury, that may be instituted against the applicant.

HRS § 560:3-301

Amended by L 2023, c 158,§ 35, eff. 6/29/2023.

L 1996, c 288, pt of §1; am L 1997, c 383, §19

Rules of Court

Pleadings, see Hawaii Probate Rules, part A(II); HPR rules 17, 50.