C.R.S. Section 15-12-402
Formal testacy or appointment proceedings

  • petition
  • contents

(1)

Petitions for formal probate of a will, or for adjudication of intestacy with or without request for appointment of a personal representative, must be directed to the court, request a judicial order after notice and hearing, and contain further statements as indicated in this section. A petition for formal probate of a will must:

(a)

Request an order as to the testacy of the decedent in relation to a particular instrument which may or may not have been informally probated and determining the heirs;

(b)

Contain the statements required for informal applications as stated in section 15-12-301 (2) and the statements required by section 15-12-301 (3); and

(c)

State whether the original of the last will of the decedent, or a copy of the decedent’s original will certified by the state court administrator pursuant to article 23 of this title 15, is in the possession of the court or accompanies the petition.

(2)

If the original will, or a copy of the decedent’s original will certified by the state court administrator pursuant to article 23 of this title 15, is neither in the possession of the court nor accompanies the petition and no authenticated copy of a will probated in another jurisdiction accompanies the petition, the petition also must state the contents of the will and indicate that it is lost, destroyed, or otherwise unavailable.

(3)

If a will has been lost or destroyed, or for any other reason is unavailable, and the fact of the execution thereof is established, as herein provided, and the contents thereof are likewise established to the satisfaction of the court, and the court is satisfied that the will has not been revoked by the testator, the court may admit the same to probate and record, as in other cases. In every such case the order admitting such will to probate shall set forth the contents of the will at length, and the names of the witnesses by whom the same was proved, and such order shall be recorded in the record of wills.

(4)

A petition for adjudication of intestacy and appointment of an administrator in intestacy must request a judicial finding and order that the decedent left no will and determining the heirs, contain the statements required by section 15-12-301 (2) and (5), and indicate whether supervised administration is sought. A petition may request an order determining intestacy and heirs without requesting the appointment of an administrator, in which case the statements required by section 15-12-301 (5)(b) may be omitted.

Source: Section 15-12-402 — Formal testacy or appointment proceedings - petition - contents, https://leg.­colorado.­gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2023-title-15.­pdf (accessed Oct. 20, 2023).

15‑12‑101
Devolution of estate at death
15‑12‑102
Necessity of order of probate for will
15‑12‑103
Necessity of appointment for administration
15‑12‑104
Claims against decedent
15‑12‑105
Proceedings affecting devolution and administration - jurisdiction of subject matter
15‑12‑106
Proceedings within the exclusive jurisdiction of court - service - jurisdiction over persons
15‑12‑107
Scope of proceedings - proceedings independent - exception
15‑12‑108
Probate, testacy, and appointment proceedings - ultimate time limit
15‑12‑109
Statutes of limitations on decedent’s cause of action
15‑12‑201
Venue for first and subsequent estate proceedings - location of property
15‑12‑203
Priority among persons seeking appointment as personal representative
15‑12‑204
Demand for notice of order or filing concerning decedent’s estate
15‑12‑301
Informal probate or appointment proceedings - application - contents
15‑12‑302
Informal probate - duty of registrar - effect of informal probate
15‑12‑303
Informal probate - proof and findings required
15‑12‑304
Informal probate - unavailable in certain cases
15‑12‑305
Informal probate - registrar not satisfied
15‑12‑306
Informal probate - notice and information requirements
15‑12‑307
Informal appointment proceedings - delay in order - duty of registrar - effect of appointment
15‑12‑308
Informal appointment proceedings - proof and findings required
15‑12‑309
Informal appointment proceedings - registrar not satisfied
15‑12‑310
Informal appointment proceedings - notice requirements
15‑12‑311
Informal appointment unavailable in certain cases
15‑12‑401
Formal testacy proceedings - nature - when commenced
15‑12‑402
Formal testacy or appointment proceedings - petition - contents
15‑12‑403
Formal testacy proceedings - notice of hearing on petition
15‑12‑404
Formal testacy proceedings - written objections to probate
15‑12‑405
Formal testacy proceedings - uncontested cases - hearings and proof
15‑12‑406
Formal testacy proceedings - contested cases
15‑12‑407
Formal testacy proceedings - burdens in contested cases
15‑12‑408
Formal testacy proceedings - will construction - effect of final order in another jurisdiction
15‑12‑409
Formal testacy proceedings - order - foreign will
15‑12‑410
Formal testacy proceedings - probate of more than one instrument
15‑12‑411
Formal testacy proceedings - partial intestacy
15‑12‑412
Formal testacy proceedings - effect of order - vacation
15‑12‑413
Formal testacy proceedings - vacation of order for other cause
15‑12‑414
Formal proceedings concerning appointment of personal representative
15‑12‑501
Supervised administration - nature of proceedings
15‑12‑502
Supervised administration - petition - order
15‑12‑503
Supervised administration - effect on other proceedings
15‑12‑504
Supervised administration - powers of personal representative
15‑12‑505
Supervised administration - interim orders - distribution and closing orders
15‑12‑601
Qualification
15‑12‑602
Acceptance of appointment - consent to jurisdiction
15‑12‑603
Bond not required without court order - exceptions
15‑12‑604
Bond amount - security - procedure - reduction
15‑12‑605
Demand for bond by interested person
15‑12‑606
Terms and conditions of bonds
15‑12‑607
Order restraining personal representative
15‑12‑608
Termination of appointment - general
15‑12‑609
Termination of appointment - death or disability
15‑12‑610
Termination of appointment - voluntary
15‑12‑611
Termination of appointment by removal - cause - procedure
15‑12‑612
Termination of appointment - change of testacy status
15‑12‑613
Successor personal representative
15‑12‑614
Special administrator - appointment
15‑12‑615
Special administrator - who may be appointed
15‑12‑616
Special administrator - appointed informally - powers and duties
15‑12‑617
Special administrator - formal proceedings - power and duties
15‑12‑618
Termination of appointment - special administrator
15‑12‑619
Public administrator - appointment - oath - bond - deputy
15‑12‑620
Public administrator - responsibility for protecting decedent’s estate - duty of persons holding property
15‑12‑621
Public administrator - decedents’ estates - areas of responsibility
15‑12‑622
Public administrator - acting as conservator or trustee
15‑12‑623
Public administrator - administration - reports - fees
15‑12‑701
Time of accrual of duties and powers
15‑12‑702
Priority among different letters
15‑12‑703
General duties - relation and liability to persons interested in estate - duty to search for a designated beneficiary agreement - standing to sue
15‑12‑704
Personal representative to proceed without court order - exception
15‑12‑705
Duty of personal representative - information to heirs and devisees
15‑12‑706
Duty of personal representative - inventory and appraisement
15‑12‑707
Employment of appraisers
15‑12‑708
Duty of personal representative - supplementary inventory
15‑12‑709
Duty of personal representative - possession of estate
15‑12‑710
Power to avoid transfers
15‑12‑711
Powers of personal representatives - in general
15‑12‑712
Improper exercise of power - breach of fiduciary duty
15‑12‑713
Sale, encumbrance, or transaction involving conflict of interest - voidable - exceptions
15‑12‑714
Persons dealing with personal representative - protection
15‑12‑715
Transactions authorized for personal representatives - exceptions
15‑12‑716
Powers and duties of successor personal representative
15‑12‑717
Corepresentatives - when joint action required
15‑12‑718
Powers of surviving personal representative
15‑12‑723
Assets concealed or embezzled
15‑12‑801
Notice to creditors
15‑12‑802
Statutes of limitations
15‑12‑803
Limitations on presentation of claims
15‑12‑804
Manner of presentation of claims
15‑12‑805
Classification of claims
15‑12‑806
Allowance of claims
15‑12‑807
Payment of claims
15‑12‑808
Individual liability of personal representative
15‑12‑809
Secured claims
15‑12‑810
Claims not due and contingent or unliquidated claims
15‑12‑811
Counterclaims
15‑12‑812
Execution and levies prohibited
15‑12‑813
Compromise of claims
15‑12‑814
Encumbered assets
15‑12‑815
Administration in more than one state - duty of personal representative
15‑12‑816
Final distribution to domiciliary representative
15‑12‑901
Successors’ rights if no administration
15‑12‑902
Distribution - order in which assets appropriated - abatement
15‑12‑903
Right of retainer
15‑12‑904
Interest on general pecuniary devise
15‑12‑905
Penalty clause for contest
15‑12‑906
Distribution in kind - valuation - method
15‑12‑907
Distribution in kind - evidence
15‑12‑908
Distribution - right or title of distributee
15‑12‑909
Improper distribution - liability of distributee
15‑12‑910
Purchasers from distributees protected
15‑12‑911
Partition for purpose of distribution
15‑12‑912
Private agreements among successors to decedent binding on personal representative
15‑12‑913
Distributions to trustee
15‑12‑914
Disposition of unclaimed assets
15‑12‑915
Distribution to person under disability
15‑12‑916
Apportionment of estate taxes
15‑12‑1001
Formal proceedings terminating administration - testate or intestate - order of general protection
15‑12‑1002
Formal proceedings terminating testate administration - order construing will without adjudicating testacy
15‑12‑1003
Closing estates - by sworn statement of personal representative
15‑12‑1004
Liability of distributees to claimants
15‑12‑1005
Limitations on proceedings against personal representative
15‑12‑1006
Limitations on actions and proceedings against distributees
15‑12‑1007
Certificate discharging liens securing fiduciary performance
15‑12‑1008
Subsequent administration
15‑12‑1009
Estates not closed after three years or more
15‑12‑1101
Effect of approval of agreements involving trusts, inalienable interests, or interests of third persons
15‑12‑1102
Procedure for securing court approval of compromise
15‑12‑1201
Collection of personal property by affidavit
15‑12‑1202
Effect of affidavit
15‑12‑1203
Small estates - summary administrative procedure
15‑12‑1204
Small estates - closing by sworn statement of personal representative
15‑12‑1205
Time of taking effect - provisions for transition
15‑12‑1301
Definitions
15‑12‑1302
Petition to determine heirship - devisees - interests in property
15‑12‑1303
Hearing - notice - service
15‑12‑1304
Appearance - hearing
15‑12‑1305
Judgment
15‑12‑1306
Decree - conclusive and when - reopening
15‑12‑1307
Title of proceedings
15‑12‑1308
Proceedings under the rules of civil procedure
15‑12‑1309
Effective date - applicability
15‑12‑1401
Short title
15‑12‑1402
Definitions
15‑12‑1403
Apportionment by will or other dispositive instrument
15‑12‑1404
Statutory apportionment of estate taxes
15‑12‑1405
Credits and deferrals
15‑12‑1406
Insulated property, advancement of tax - definitions
15‑12‑1407
Apportionment and recapture of special elective benefits
15‑12‑1408
Securing payment of estate tax from property in possession of fiduciary
15‑12‑1409
Collection of estate tax by fiduciary
15‑12‑1410
Right of reimbursement
15‑12‑1411
Action to determine or enforce part
15‑12‑1412
Uniformity of application and construction
15‑12‑1413
Severability
15‑12‑1414
Delayed application
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Current through Fall 2024

§ 15-12-402’s source at colorado​.gov