Probate Records

Probate records are court records that are created due to a death. Probate records include wills, letters of administration, inventories, bonds, guardianship and estate records. Most often the subject of the probate record has a valuable estate or minor children at the time of death. Probate records are good for proving relationships.

The probate process begins first with a death. At this point a will is presented to the court with an application to process. If no will was left an application is filed usually by the widow, to process the estate. Living heirs are recognized, a public announcement is made, debts are recognized, assets totaled by way of an inventory and accounts are administered. The heirs are again recognized, married daughters will be listed with their spouse representing them and minor children will be assigned a male guardian. If the wife of the deceased is still living she is by law entitled to 1/3 of the estate. The remainder of the estate to be divided equally between the living children.