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 General Laws of Massachusetts (Last Updated: January 16, 2020)
 PART II REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS
 TITLE II. DESCENT AND DISTRIBUTION, WILLS, ESTATES OF DECEASED PERSONS AND ABSENTEES, GUARDIANSHIP, CONSERVATORSHIP AND TRUSTS
 CHAPTER 190B. MASSACHUSETTS UNIFORM PROBATE CODE
 ARTICLE III. PROBATE OF WILLS AND ADMINISTRATION

  SECTION 3-402. Formal testacy or appointment proceedings; petition; contents  

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  • Section 3–402. [Formal Testacy or Appointment Proceedings; Petition; Contents.]

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

    (1) requests 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,

    (2) contains the statements required for informal petitions as stated in section 3–301(a)(1), the statements required by subparagraphs (ii) and (iii) of section 3–301(a)(2), and

    (3) states whether the original of the last will of the decedent is in the possession of the court or accompanies the petition.

    If the original will 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 shall state the contents of the will, and indicate that it is lost, destroyed, or otherwise unavailable.

    (b) If a death certificate issued by a public officer is not filed with the petition, the court may direct the petitioner to report the results of, or make and report back concerning, a reasonably diligent search for the alleged decedent in any manner that may seem advisable.

    (c) A petition for adjudication of intestacy and appointment of a personal representative in intestacy shall request a judicial finding and order that the decedent left no will and determining the heirs, contain the statements required by clauses (1) and (4) of section 3–301(a) and indicate whether supervised administration is sought. A petition may request an order determining intestacy and heirs without requesting the appointment of a personal representative, in which case, the statements required by subparagraph (ii) of section 3–301(a)(4) above may be omitted.