Probate and permission to deal with an estate

In a case where the person who died left a will, they will  usually have asked an executor to deal with their estate.

If the person did not name an executor or  did not leave a will, the court will appoint an administrator to deal with the estate.

The administrator will usually be someone who is a beneficiary of the will, or who is entitled to inherit under the intestacy rules.

Executors and administrators are also known as personal representatives.
If you are entitled to deal with someone’s estate, you may have to apply for
permission from the Probate Registry to manage and distribute it.

This permission is called ‘a grant of representation’ (or probate for short). You
can apply for a grant of representation yourself or through a probate solicitor. There are three types of grant issued by the Probate Registry. The grant issued will depend on the circumstances of the case.