When a will or a petition to open an estate is filed, it is assigned a case number that includes the year, then "WIL," "SEB," or "ADM" then an additional number. For example, 1995 ADM 22 is a case number that means the 22nd large estate filed in 1995. The case number can usually be found in the top right-hand corner of a pleading. It can also be found by searching for the decedent by name by computer via the Court’s Court Cases Online.

Bond is a type of insurance. If the personal representative misappropriates or otherwise mishandles estate assets, the bonding company will repay the estate the amount lost or the amount of the bond, whichever is less.

A special administrator is a person appointed by the Court in two different circumstances: (1) to open a safe deposit box owned by a decedent to search for a will and (2) pending the appointment of a personal representative to protect and hold assets of the estate. The powers of a special administrator are limited.

A decedent can nominate a personal representative in his or her will, but that person is not officially the personal representative until the Court issues an order appointing that person as personal representative. Once appointed, the personal representative is responsible for settling the decedent’s estate. Until the Court has appointed someone, no one has the authority to deal with the decedent’s affairs.

No. The forms are available online. The forms are interactive and should be typed and printed out for filing in person.

No. Any person who has higher priority to serve and is choosing not to do so must sign a renunciation (not a consent). The renunciation states that the person knows that he or she has higher priority to serve and is still choosing not to do so. The consent does not contain that language.

If you have an attorney, that attorney will prepare the notice for your signature. If you are not represented by an attorney, type the decedent's name in the top line and on line 3 in the body of the notice exactly as it appears in the petition for probate. Type the name(s) of the persons who are asking to be appointed in the first line in the body of the notice and their addresses in the second line. Type the decedent's date of death in the third line. Do not type anything else in the body of the notice. The Probate Division staff will insert the dates.

All persons asking to be appointed as Personal Representative should sign the bottom of the notice and list their telephone numbers. The names of two District of Columbia newspapers must be inserted on the two lines on the bottom left. One of the newspapers must be a legal newspaper of general circulation.

Once all the required documents have been filed, an order appointing a personal representative is generally issued within 10 to 14 days.

No. Any person can file a petition for probate. However, the process is complicated, and you may wish to hire an attorney to ensure the proper administration of the estate.

Although wills must be filed within ninety days of the person’s death, there is no required time within which the documents needed to open an estate must be filed. However, no one has authority to act for a decedent until an estate is opened, and a personal representative is appointed by the Court.