Definition

Noun: A specialized court that has legal authority over matters concerning the validation of wills (probate) and the management and distribution of a deceased person's estate (property, debts, and assets).

Usage

This term refers specifically to the judicial body responsible for these legal processes. - The probate court oversees the executor's actions to ensure they follow the law and the will's instructions. - Disputes among heirs are often settled in probate court.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• "to go through probate court": The process of having an estate legally administered under the court's supervision.
  • Even with a clear will, the estate must go through probate court.

Variants and Related Words

• Probate (noun/verb): The official proving of a will as valid; the judicial process of administering an estate.
• Surrogate's Court (noun): Another name for a probate court used in some U.S. states (e.g., New York).

Synonyms

• Surrogate court
• Orphans' court (used in some U.S. jurisdictions like Pennsylvania)

Related Phrases

• Probate proceeding: The legal case or process handled by the probate court.
  • The probate proceeding took over a year to complete.

Noun

1. a court having jurisdiction over the probate of wills and the administration of estates