What Constitutes Due Diligence for Identifying and Notifying Unknown Heirs in North Carolina Probate Administration?

Detailed Answer North Carolina law expects a personal representative (executor or administrator) to make “reasonable diligence” efforts to locate and notify every heir who may have an interest in an estate. While Chapter 28A of the North Carolina General Statutes does not spell out an item-by-item checklist, clerks of superior court routinely apply the same…

What notice requirements and procedures apply for notifying creditors, including medical debt collectors, in probate?

North Carolina Probate FAQ: How Do I Notify Creditors and Medical Debt Collectors? Detailed Answer North Carolina law requires the personal representative (executor or administrator) to give formal notice to anyone who might be owed money by the decedent. The core rules come from N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-14-1 through § 28A-19-3. Below is the…

How Are Real Property and Personal Assets Identified, Inventoried, and Distributed Under Intestacy Law in North Carolina?

Detailed Answer 1. Open the Estate With the Clerk of Superior Court Intestate estates in North Carolina begin with an Application for Letters of Administration (form AOC-E-201) filed with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the decedent lived. The Clerk issues Letters of Administration granting the personal representative (called the administrator) legal…