2010 Maryland Code
ESTATES AND TRUSTS
TITLE 5 - OPENING THE ESTATE
Subtitle 2 - Commencement of Proceeding
Section 5-206 - Form of petition.

§ 5-206. Form of petition.
 

    In a proceeding for administrative or judicial probate the petition for probate shall be in substantially the following form:



    In the Orphans' Court for

        (or)          _____________________________________________, Maryland

    Before the Register of Wills for

    in the Estate of:

    __________________          Estate No. ___________________________________


For:

    [] Regular Estate -            [] Small Estate -                           [] Will of No

     Petition for probate,             Petition for Administration,                            Estate -

     estate value in             estate value of $20,000                            Complete Items

     excess of $20,000.             or less. Complete                            2 and 5

     Complete and attach             and attach

     Schedule - A.              Schedule - B.

    The Petition of:

    ________________________         _________________________________________

    Name                                                              Address

            __________________________________________________________________

    ________________________         _________________________________________

    Name                                                              Address

            __________________________________________________________________

    ________________________         _________________________________________

    Name                                                              Address

            __________________________________________________________________

    Each of us states:

   1. I am (a) at least 18 years of age and either a citizen of the United States or a permanent resident alien spouse of the decedent or (b) a trust company or any other corporation authorized by law to act as a personal representative.

   2. The decedent, __________________________________________________, was domiciled in __________________ County, State of ________________________________________ and died on the __________ day of ______________ 20________, at __________________.

   3. If the decedent was not domiciled in this county at the time of death, this is the proper office in which to file this petition because:
__________________________________________________.

   4. I am entitled to priority of appointment as personal representative of the decedent's estate pursuant to § 5-104 of the Estates and Trusts Article, Annotated Code of Maryland because:

   

_____________________________________________________________________________

   

_____________________________________________________________________________

   
and I am not excluded by § 5-105 (b) of the Estates and Trusts Article, Annotated Code of Maryland from serving as personal representative.

   5. I have made a diligent search for the decedent's will and to the best of my knowledge:


[] none exists; or


[] the will dated __________________ (including codicils, if any, dated __________________) accompanying this petition is the last will and it came into my hands in the following manner:



_____________________________________________________________________________



_____________________________________________________________________________


and the names and last known addresses of the witnesses are:



____________________________________________________            ______________



____________________________________________________            ______________



____________________________________________________            ______________

   6. Other proceedings, if any, regarding the decedent or the estate are as follows:



_____________________________________________________________________________



_____________________________________________________________________________

   7. If any information required by paragraphs 2 through 6 has not been furnished, the reason is:



_____________________________________________________________________________



_____________________________________________________________________________

   8. If appointed, I accept the duties of the office of personal representative and consent to personal jurisdiction in any action brought in this State against me as personal representative or arising out of the duties of the office of personal representative.

   
   WHEREFORE, I request appointment as personal representative of the decedent's estate and the following relief as indicated:


[] that the will and codicils, if any, be admitted to administrative probate;


[] that the will and codicils, if any, be admitted to judicial probate;


[] that the will and codicils, if any, be filed only;



[] that the following additional relief be granted: __________________________



_____________________________________________________________________________



_____________________________________________________________________________

    I solemnly affirm under the penalties of perjury that the contents of the foregoing petition are true to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief.

    __________________________________         _______________________________

        Attorney's Signature           Petitioner             Date

    __________________________________         _______________________________

        Address          Petitioner             Date

    __________________________________         _______________________________

             Petitioner             Date

    __________________________________         _______________________________

        Telephone Number          Telephone Number

    In the Orphans' Court for

        (or)          _____________________________________________, Maryland

    Before the Register of Wills for

    in the Estate of:

    __________________          Estate No. ___________________________________

   

Schedule - A

    REGULAR ESTATE

    Estimated Value of Estate and Unsecured Debts:

    Personal property (approximate value)  .................... $ ____________

    Real property (approximate value)  .................... $ ________________

    Value of Property subject to:


   (a) Direct Inheritance Tax of __________ %  .................... $ ________


   (b) Collateral Inheritance Tax of __________ %  .................... $ ____


   (c) Collateral Inheritance Tax of __________ %  .................... $ ____

    Unsecured Debts (approximate amount)  .................... $ _____________




.............................................................................

   

(FOR REGISTER'S USE)



Safekeeping Wills __________________ Custody of Wills ________________________



Bond Set $ ______________________________ Deputy _____________________________

    In the Orphans' Court for

        (or)          _____________________________________________, Maryland

    Before the Register of Wills for

    in the Estate of:

    __________________          Estate No.

             _________________________________________________________________

   

Schedule - B

    SMALL ESTATE

    Assets and Debts of the Decedent:

   1. I have made a diligent search to discover all property and debts of the decedent and set forth below are:

   
     (a) A listing of all real and personal property owned by the decedent, individually or as tenant in common, and of any other property to which the decedent or estate would be entitled, including descriptions, values, and how the values were determined:

    __________________________________________________________________________

    __________________________________________________________________________

    __________________________________________________________________________

   1.
     (b) A listing of all creditors and claimants and the amounts claimed, including secured*, contingent and disputed claims:

    __________________________________________________________________________

    __________________________________________________________________________

    __________________________________________________________________________

   2. Allowable funeral expenses are $ __________________; statutory family allowances are $ ________________________________________; and expenses of administration are $ ________________________________________.

   3. Attached is a List of Interested Persons.


*Note: § 5-601 (d) of the Estates and Trusts Article, Annotated Code of Maryland "For the purpose of this subtitle - Value is determined by fair market value of property less debts of record secured by the property as of the date of death, to the extent that insurance benefits are not payable to the lien holder or secured party for the secured debt."

    I solemnly affirm under the penalties of perjury that the contents of the foregoing schedule are true to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief.

    __________________________________         _______________________________

        Attorney's Signature          Petitioner             Date

    __________________________________         _______________________________

        Address          Petitioner             Date

    __________________________________         _______________________________

        Telephone Number          Telephone Number
 

[An. Code 1957, art. 93, § 5-206; 1974, ch. 11, § 2; 1997, ch. 693; 2000, ch. 61, §§ 2, 6.]