What you get
- An editable Word document, drafted from your answers and the state's official text.
- A proof of sources: every citation in the draft with the words it quotes, the official source, the date the text was saved and its fingerprint.
- Notes for counsel listing each point marked [VERIFY], each blank and each choice left for the client.
- It is filed with a court, so the notes include filing reminders for the court's own rules.
What the intake asks
Plain questions, in the order an attorney would take the facts. Anything left blank stays a marked blank in the draft; nothing is invented to fill it.
The decedent
- Decedent's full legal name
- Death and domicile
- Will
- The will and codicils
Who asks and who serves
- Petitioner
- Petitioner's interest and relationship
- Proposed personal representative
- Heirs and beneficiaries
The estate
- Estimated estate
- Known debts and claims
Relief
- Bond
- Type of administration requested
- Waivers and consents
Signature
- Signing attorney
- Other instructions or open decisions
Where it is offered
Every state Lawsmith has official sources for:
CaliforniaConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaMarylandMassachusettsNew JerseyNew YorkOhioPennsylvaniaTexasVirginia
Official sources on file
The drafter works from the texts Lawsmith has saved for this document in the state you choose, plus federal law where it applies. Each is read from the official publisher and dated.
| State | Sources for this document |
|---|---|
| California | 74 |
| Connecticut | 27 |
| Delaware | 36 |
| District of Columbia | 33 |
| Florida | 28 |
| Maryland | 43 |
| Massachusetts | 36 |
| New Jersey | 27 |
| New York | 36 |
| Ohio | 30 |
| Pennsylvania | 33 |
| Texas | 49 |
| Virginia | 39 |
Among them, for New Jersey:
- N.J.S.A. 3B:3-4 Making will self-proved at time of execution.
- N.J.S.A. 3B:3-5 Making will self-proved subsequent to time of execution.
- N.J.S.A. 3B:3-19 Proof required to probate will
- N.J.S.A. 3B:3-22 Time for probate of will; preliminary filing
- N.J.S.A. 3B:3-24 Where a will of a resident is to be probated; effect of failure to probate
How the draft is checked
Before it writes, the drafter must quote the official text behind each citation. Lawsmith compares every quotation with the text on file, character for character; a citation with no checked quotation reaches you marked [VERIFY]. The draft still needs your review before it is signed, filed or sent. How citations are checked
More probate & administration documents
Notice to CreditorsNotice to Heirs and BeneficiariesEstate InventoryEstate AccountingSmall Estate AffidavitReceipt, Release and Refunding AgreementDisclaimer of InheritanceExecutor's Deed