How to Locate and Probate a Lost or Unfiled Will in North Carolina

1. Detailed Answer: Finding and Admitting a Lost or Unfiled Will

Losing or never filing an original will can complicate estate administration, but North Carolina law provides clear procedures to locate and admit a will. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Conduct a Thorough Search

Start by interviewing the decedent’s close family members and friends. Ask about the will’s possible location – home offices, personal safes, filing cabinets or safety deposit boxes at banks. Check the Register of Deeds office in the county where the decedent lived for a recorded copy. If an attorney prepared the will, ask that law firm for any retained originals or copies. Digital searches of the decedent’s computer files and email accounts can reveal scanned copies.

Step 2: Gather Secondary Evidence

If you cannot locate the original, assemble any copies, drafts or correspondence that discuss the will’s terms. Collect testimony or affidavits from the witnesses who signed the will or anyone who saw the decedent with it. Secondary evidence strengthens your petition to probate a lost will.

Step 3: Prepare the Probate Petition

File a petition for probate in the Clerk of Superior Court’s office in the county where the decedent lived at death. Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-2-2.2, you may ask the court to admit a copy or other evidence of the will if the original is lost or destroyed without the testator’s intent to revoke. If the will was self-proved, see N.C. Gen. Stat. § 31-2.2 for rules on admitting duplicate evidence.

Step 4: Serve Notice to Interested Parties

North Carolina requires notice to heirs, beneficiaries and creditors. The clerk schedules a hearing and issues notice by mail or publication. Recipients can object if they believe the will is invalid or revoked.

Step 5: Attend the Probate Hearing

At the hearing, present your evidence of the will’s authenticity: witness affidavits, copies of the will and details of your search. The judge reviews the proof under the standards in § 28A-2-2.2. If satisfied, the court admits the will to probate and appoints a personal representative to administer the estate according to its terms.

Step 6: Administer the Estate

Once appointed, the personal representative inventories assets, pays debts and distributes property as the will directs. The judge supervises this process until the estate closes.

2. Quick Reference: Key Steps to Locate and Probate a Lost or Unfiled Will

• Interview family, friends and the decedent’s former attorney for will location.
• Search homes, safes, filing cabinets and safety deposit boxes.
• Check the Register of Deeds for recorded copies.
• Collect copies, drafts and witness affidavits.
• File a probate petition under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-2-2.2 if the original is missing.
• Serve notice to heirs, beneficiaries and creditors.
• Present evidence at the probate hearing to admit the will.
• Administer the estate according to the admitted will.

Conclusion and Next Steps

Locating and probating a lost or unfiled will in North Carolina involves a careful search, gathering secondary evidence and following statutory procedures under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-2-2.2. Pierce Law Group’s attorneys draw on years of experience in estate administration to guide you through every step. Contact us today to discuss your situation and protect your loved one’s final wishes. Email us at intake@piercelaw.com or call (919) 341-7055. Let us help you achieve a smooth and efficient probate process.