Petitions for Special Administration

Letters of Special Administration

The probate process can be slow. It can be several weeks or months before a personal representative is formally appointed. During the gap between the death of the testator and the appointment of the personal representative, it is difficult to conduct any businesses, such as paying bills or cashing checks. If the deceased died intestate because he or she did no estate planning, it is difficult for creditors to obtain the payment owed them in a timely way.

Collecting debts

In both of these situations, interested parties may petition the court for Letters of Special Administration. These letters appoint a personal representative (or executor) of the estate for a limited time and for a limited purpose. These letters can authorize the executor to carry out a specific transaction, such as the payment of a hospital bill or the collection of a debt on behalf of the estate. To learn more about the process of being appointed a Special Administrator, contact our Orange County or Pasadena office.

Paying bills

When the decedent had significant debts and died intestate, surviving family members may be reluctant to open up an estate for probate. In this situation, a creditor could file a petition for Letters of Special Administration, asking that he or she be appointed a Special Administrator. Under the supervision of a probate judge, the Special Administrator will pay the deceased's debts, including those owed to the administrator. At Russakow, Ryan & Johnson, our attorneys have helped creditors obtain Letters of Special Administration.

To learn how the appointment of a special administrator could benefit you, the estate, or your organization, contact our Southern California law firm. We are ready to help.