What happens at the first hearing in probate court?

Although only about 20% of all probate filings get approved at the first hearing, if your case is one of the lucky ones and all goes well, the Order for Probate will be approved. At that point, the Court Clerk can issue the Letters. “Letters” is the document of authority that starts the probate timeline and gives the personal representative the authority to manage the assets of the estate and do their other duties.

If there are deficiencies or requested supplemental information that are not able to be addressed prior to the court hearing, the court will continue the matter to a future date to allow a supplement be filed. This is quite common, and a Petitioner should not be alarmed when this happens in their case. It is important, however, to pay particular attention to what deficiencies or other information the court is being requested. You can then relay this information to the person assisting you with your probate paperwork, assuming you are representing yourself in the case.

Ideally, if the court approves the Petition, the Petitioner should get a conformed and file-stamped copy of the Order for Probate and well as several certified copies of the Letters immediately after the hearing. Keep in mind, however, Letters are only issued in full probate. Letters are not issued in small estate proceedings or spousal property proceedings.

The Letters and the Order for Probate are essential, and every effort should be made to get them as soon as possible. In addition to getting a file-stamped copy of the Order, we suggest getting 2-3 certified copies of the Letters, as well. Keep in mind, however, that some courts do not issue the Order for Probate at the hearing. In this regard, the court will mail a copy of the Order several days after the hearing. Unfortunately, the Court Clerk cannot issue the Letters until the judge signed the Order for Probate. As you can see, this delay prevents the personal representative from getting certified copies of the Letters when they are at the hearing. When this happens, it may be necessary for the personal representative to return to the court after they receive the filed Order for Probate in the mail to pay for and order certified copies of the Letters from the Court Clerk.

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