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MGL 190B, Article III. Probate of wills and administration

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Commentary on Article III

Article III commentary 

Part 1. General provisions

§ 3-101 Devolution of estate at death; restrictions 
§ 3-102 Necessity of order of probate for will 
§ 3-103 Necessity of appointment for administration 
§ 3-104 Claims against decedent; necessity of administration 
§ 3-105 Proceedings affecting devolution and administration 
§ 3-106 Proceedings within the exclusive jurisdiction of court; service; jurisdiction over persons 
§ 3-107 Scope of proceedings; proceedings independent; exception 
§ 3-108 Probate, testacy and appointment proceedings; ultimate time limit 
§ 3-109 Statutes of limitation on decedent's cause of action 

Part 2. Venue for probate and administration; priority to administer

Section 3-204 (Reserved); Massachusetts comment: The UPC demand for notice is not adopted for Massachusetts. It would establish a recordkeeping burden on the Courts. The advantages are ameliorated by the Massachusetts requirement of advance notice to all interested parties for all matters, including informal probate.

§ 3-201 Venue for first and subsequent estate proceedings; location of property 
§ 3-202 Appointment or testacy proceedings; conflicting claim of domicile in another state 
§ 3-203 Priority among persons seeking appointment as personal representative 
§ 3-205 Judge or register as personal representative 

Part 3. Informal probate and appointment proceedings

Section 3-310 (Reserved)

§ 3-301 Informal probate or appointment proceedings; petition; contents 
§ 3-302 Informal probate; duty of magistrate; effect of informal probate 
§ 3-303 Informal probate; proof and findings required 
§ 3-304 Informal probate; unavailable in certain cases 
§ 3-305 Informal probate; magistrate not satisfied 
§ 3-306 Informal probate; notice requirements 
§ 3-307 Informal appointment proceedings; delay in order; duty of magistrate; effect of appointment 
§ 3-308 Informal appointment proceedings; proof and findings required 
§ 3-309 Informal appointment proceedings; magistrate not satisfied 
§ 3-311 Informal appointment unavailable in certain cases 

Part 4. Formal testacy and appointment proceedings

  • Section 3-404 (Reserved)
  • Section 3-407 (Reserved); Massachusetts comment: This section of the UPC version is removed to preserve case law regarding duty of going forward with proof. See Section 1-109 for the standard of proof.

§ 3-401 Formal testacy proceedings; nature; when commenced 
§ 3-402 Formal testacy or appointment proceedings; petition; contents 
§ 3-403 Formal testacy proceedings; notice of hearing on petition 
§ 3-405 Formal testacy proceedings; uncontested cases; hearings and proof 
§ 3-406 Formal testacy proceedings; contested cases; testimony of attesting witnesses 
§ 3-408 Formal testacy proceedings; will construction; effect of final order in another jurisdiction 
§ 3-409 Formal testacy proceedings; order; foreign will 
§ 3-410 Formal testacy proceedings; probate of more than one instrument 
§ 3-411 Formal testacy proceedings; partial intestacy 
§ 3-412 Formal testacy proceedings; effect of order; vacation 
§ 3-413 Formal testacy proceedings; vacation of order for other cause 
§ 3-414 Formal proceedings concerning appointment of personal representative 

Part 5. Supervised administration

§ 3-501 Supervised administration; nature of proceeding 
§ 3-502 Supervised administration; petition; order 
§ 3-503 Supervised administration; effect on other proceedings 
§ 3-504 Supervised administration; powers of personal representative 
§ 3-505 Supervised administration; interim orders; distribution and closing orders 

Part 6. Personal representative; appointment, control and termination of authority

Section 3-616 (Reserved)

§ 3-601 Qualification 
§ 3-602 Acceptance of appointment; consent to jurisdiction 
§ 3-603 Bond without sureties 
§ 3-604 Bond with sureties; procedure; reduction 
§ 3-605 Demand for sureties by interested person 
§ 3-606 Terms and conditions of bonds 
§ 3-607 Order restraining personal representative 
§ 3-608 Termination of appointment; general 
§ 3-609 Termination of appointment; death or disability 
§ 3-610 Resignation by personal representative 
§ 3-611 Termination of appointment by removal; cause; procedure 
§ 3-612 Termination of appointment; change of testacy status 
§ 3-613 Successor personal representative 
§ 3-614 Special representative; appointment 
§ 3-615 Special representative; who may be appointed 
§ 3-617 Special representative; formal proceedings; power and duties 
§ 3-618 Termination of appointment; special representative 

Part 7. Duties and powers of personal representatives

  • Section 3-705 (Reserved); Massachusetts comment: The UPC provisions for notice within 30 days after appointment have been combined with the pre-appointment notice under §§ 3-306 and 3-403. As a result a more informative notice will be given to interested parties, but only once.
  • Section 3-708 (Reserved)
  • Section 3-711 (Reserved)
  • Section 3-721 (Reserved); Massachusetts comment: Current provisions for determining fees of personal representatives, attorney and agents are retained. See G.L. c. 215, §§ 39, 39A, 39B and 45.

§ 3-701 Time of accrual of duties and powers 
§ 3-702 Priority among different letters 
§ 3-703 General duties; relation and liability to persons interested in estate; standing to sue 
§ 3-704 Personal representative to proceed without court order; exception 
§ 3-706 Duty of personal representative; inventory and appraisement 
§ 3-707 Employment of appraisers 
§ 3-709 Duty of personal representative; possession of estate 
§ 3-710 Power to avoid transfers 
§ 3-712 Improper exercise of power; breach of fiduciary duty 
§ 3-713 Sale, encumbrance or transaction involving conflict of interest; voidable; exceptions 
§ 3-714 Persons dealing with personal representative; protection 
§ 3-715 Transactions authorized for personal representatives; exceptions 
§ 3-716 Powers and duties of successor personal representative 
§ 3-717 Co-representatives; when joint action required 
§ 3-718 Powers of surviving personal representative 
§ 3-719 Compensation of personal representative 
§ 3-720 Expenses in estate litigation 

Part 8. Creditors' claims

Section 3-801 (Reserved)

§ 3-802 Statute of limitations 
§ 3-803 Limitations on presentation of claims 
§ 3-804 Manner of commencement of claims 
§ 3-805 Classification of claims 
§ 3-806 Allowance of claims 
§ 3-807 Payment of claims 
§ 3-808 Individual liability of personal representative 
§ 3-809 Secured claims 
§ 3-810 Claims not due and contingent or unliquidated claims 
§ 3-811 Counterclaims 
§ 3-812 Execution and levies prohibited 
§ 3-813 Compromise of claims 
§ 3-814 Encumbered assets 
§ 3-815 Administration in more than one state; duty of personal representative 
§ 3-816 Final distribution to domiciliary representative 

Part 9. Special provisions relating to distribution

  • Section 3-905 (Reserved); Massachusetts comment: The U.P.C. section would reverse the rule that forfeiture clauses are valid in Massachusetts. See Newhall, The Settlement of Estates, § 348. It is not recommended for adoption in Massachusetts. See Section 2-517.
  • Section 3-910 (Reserved)
  • Section 3-911 (Reserved)

§ 3-901 Successors' rights if no administration 
§ 3-902 Distribution; order in which assets appropriated; abatement 
§ 3-903 Right of retainer 
§ 3-904 Interest on general pecuniary devise 
§ 3-906 Distribution in kind; valuation; method 
§ 3-907 Distribution in kind; evidence 
§ 3-908 Distribution; right or title of distributee 
§ 3-909 Improper distribution; liability of distributee 
§ 3-912 Private agreements among successors to decedent binding on personal representative 
§ 3-913 Distributions to trustee 
§ 3-914 Disposition of unclaimed assets 
§ 3-915 Distribution to person under disability 
§ 3-916 Apportionment of estate taxes 
§ 3-917 Partial distribution 

Part 10. Closing estates

  • Section 3-1002 (Reserved)
  • Section 3-1007 (Reserved)
  • Section 3-1008 (Reserved)

§ 3-1001 Formal proceedings terminating administration; testate or intestate; order of general protection 
§ 3-1003 Closing estates; by sworn statement of personal representative 
§ 3-1004 Liability of distributees to claimants 
§ 3-1005 Limitations on proceedings against personal representative 
§ 3-1006 Limitations on actions and proceedings against distributees 

Part 11. Compromise of controversies

§ 3-1101 Effect of approval of agreements involving trusts, inalienable interests, or interests of third persons 
§ 3-1102 Procedure for securing court approval of compromise 
§ 3-1103 Non-resident beneficiaries; payment of trust fund to foreign trustee 

Part 12. Collection of personal property by voluntary administration procedures for small estates

Part 12: Commentary 
§ 3-1201 Collection of personal property by affidavit 
§ 3-1202 Effect of affidavit 
§ 3-1203 Small estates; summary administration procedure 
§ 3-1204 Small estates; closing by sworn statement of personal representative 

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