Mass. General Laws c.190B § 3-1005

Limitations on proceedings against personal representative

This is an unofficial version of a Massachusetts General Law.

Section 3-1005

Unless previously barred by adjudication and except as provided in the closing statement, the rights of successors and of creditors whose claims have not otherwise been barred against the personal representative for breach of fiduciary duty are barred unless a proceeding to assert the same is commenced within 6 months after the filing of the closing statement. The rights thus barred do not include rights to recover from a personal representative for fraud, misrepresentation, or inadequate disclosure related to the settlement of the decedent's estate.

Comment

This and the preceding section make it clear that a claimant whose claim has not been barred may have alternative remedies when an estate has been distributed subject to his claim. Under this section, he has six months to prosecute an action against the personal representative if the latter breached any duty to the claimant. For example, the personal representative may be liable to a creditor if he violated the provisions of Section 3-807. The preceding section describes the fundamental liability of the distributees to unbarred claimants to the extent of the value received. The last sentence emphasizes that a personal representative who fails to disclose matters relevant to his liability in his closing statement and in the account of administration he furnished to distributees, gains no protection from the period described here. A personal representative may, however, use Section 3-1001, or, where appropriate, 3-1002 to secure greater protection.

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