Maine Legislature Maine Revised Statutes
  • Session Law
  • Statutes
  • Maine State Constitution
  • Information
  • Art. 3 PDF
  • Art. 3 MS-Word
  • Statute Search
  • Title 18-C Contents
  • List of Titles
  • Maine Law & Disclaimer
  • Revisor's Office
  • Maine Legislature
Title 18-C, Article 3: PROBATE OF WILLS AND ADMINISTRATION

Part 1: GENERAL PROVISIONS

18-C §3-101. Devolution of estate at death; restrictions 
18-C §3-102. Necessity of order of probate for will 
18-C §3-103. Necessity of appointment for administration 
18-C §3-104. Claims against decedent; necessity of administration 
18-C §3-105. Proceedings affecting devolution and administration; jurisdiction of subject matter 
18-C §3-106. Proceedings within the jurisdiction of court; service; jurisdiction over persons 
18-C §3-107. Scope of proceedings; proceedings independent; exception 
18-C §3-108. Probate, testacy and appointment proceedings; ultimate time limit 
18-C §3-109. Statutes of limitation on decedent's cause of action 
18-C §3-110. Discovery of property 

Part 2: VENUE FOR PROBATE AND ADMINISTRATION, PRIORITY TO ADMINISTER AND DEMAND FOR NOTICE

18-C §3-201. Venue for first and subsequent estate proceedings; location of property 
18-C §3-202. Appointment or testacy proceedings; conflicting claim of domicile in another state 
18-C §3-203. Priority among persons seeking appointment as personal representative 
18-C §3-204. Demand for notice of order or filing concerning decedent's estate 

Part 3: INFORMAL PROBATE AND APPOINTMENT PROCEEDINGS

18-C §3-301. Informal probate or appointment proceedings; application; contents 
18-C §3-302. Informal probate; duty of register; effect of informal probate 
18-C §3-303. Informal probate; proof and findings required 
18-C §3-304. Informal probate; unavailable in certain cases 
18-C §3-305. Informal probate; register not satisfied 
18-C §3-306. Informal probate; notice requirements 
18-C §3-307. Informal appointment proceedings; delay in order; duty of register; effect of appointment 
18-C §3-308. Informal appointment proceedings; proof and findings required 
18-C §3-309. Informal appointment proceedings; register not satisfied 
18-C §3-310. Informal appointment proceedings; notice requirements 
18-C §3-311. Informal appointment unavailable in certain cases 

Part 4: FORMAL TESTACY AND APPOINTMENT PROCEEDINGS

18-C §3-401. Formal testacy proceedings; nature; when commenced 
18-C §3-402. Formal testacy or appointment proceedings; petition; contents 
18-C §3-403. Formal testacy proceeding; notice of hearing on petition 
18-C §3-404. Formal testacy proceedings; written objections to probate 
18-C §3-405. Formal testacy proceedings; uncontested cases; hearings and proof 
18-C §3-406. Formal testacy proceedings; contested cases 
18-C §3-407. Formal testacy proceedings; burdens in contested cases 
18-C §3-408. Formal testacy proceedings; will construction; effect of final order in another jurisdiction 
18-C §3-409. Formal testacy proceedings; order; foreign will 
18-C §3-410. Formal testacy proceedings; probate of more than one instrument 
18-C §3-411. Formal testacy proceedings; partial intestacy 
18-C §3-412. Formal testacy proceedings; effect of order; vacation 
18-C §3-413. Formal testacy proceedings; vacation of order for other cause 
18-C §3-414. Formal proceedings concerning appointment of personal representative 

Part 5: SUPERVISED ADMINISTRATION

18-C §3-501. Supervised administration; nature of proceeding 
18-C §3-502. Supervised administration; petition; order 
18-C §3-503. Supervised administration; effect on other proceedings 
18-C §3-504. Supervised administration; powers of personal representative 
18-C §3-505. Supervised administration; interim orders; distribution and closing orders 

Part 6: PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: APPOINTMENT, CONTROL AND TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY

18-C §3-601. Qualification 
18-C §3-602. Acceptance of appointment; consent to jurisdiction 
18-C §3-603. Bond not required without court order; exceptions 
18-C §3-604. Bond amount; security; procedure; reduction 
18-C §3-605. Demand for bond by interested person 
18-C §3-606. Terms and conditions of bonds 
18-C §3-607. Order restraining personal representative 
18-C §3-608. Termination of appointment; general 
18-C §3-609. Termination of appointment; death or disability 
18-C §3-610. Termination of appointment; voluntary 
18-C §3-611. Termination of appointment by removal; cause; procedure 
18-C §3-612. Termination of appointment; change of testacy status 
18-C §3-613. Successor personal representative 
18-C §3-614. Special administrator; appointment 
18-C §3-615. Special administrator; who may be appointed 
18-C §3-616. Special administrator; appointed informally; powers and duties 
18-C §3-617. Special administrator; formal proceedings; power and duties 
18-C §3-618. Termination of appointment; special administrator 
18-C §3-619. Public administrators 

Part 7: DUTIES AND POWERS OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES

18-C §3-701. Time of accrual of duties and powers 
18-C §3-702. Priority among different letters 
18-C §3-703. General duties; relation and liability to persons interested in estate; standing to sue 
18-C §3-704. Personal representative to proceed without court order; exception 
18-C §3-705. Duty of personal representative; information to heirs and devisees 
18-C §3-706. Duty of personal representative; inventory and appraisal 
18-C §3-707. Employment of appraisers 
18-C §3-708. Duty of personal representative; supplementary inventory 
18-C §3-709. Duty of personal representative; possession of estate 
18-C §3-710. Power to avoid transfers 
18-C §3-711. Powers of personal representatives; in general 
18-C §3-712. Improper exercise of power; breach of fiduciary duty 
18-C §3-713. Sale, encumbrance or transaction involving conflict of interest; voidable; exceptions 
18-C §3-714. Persons dealing with personal representative; protection 
18-C §3-715. Transactions authorized for personal representatives; exceptions 
18-C §3-716. Powers and duties of successor personal representative 
18-C §3-717. Corepresentatives; when joint action required 
18-C §3-718. Powers of surviving personal representative 
18-C §3-719. Compensation of personal representative 
18-C §3-720. Expenses in estate litigation 
18-C §3-721. Proceedings for review of employment of agents and compensation of personal representatives and employees of estate 

Part 8: CREDITORS' CLAIMS

18-C §3-801. Notice to creditors 
18-C §3-802. Statutes of limitations 
18-C §3-803. Limitations on presentation of claims 
18-C §3-804. Manner of presentation of claims 
18-C §3-805. Classification of claims 
18-C §3-806. Allowance of claims 
18-C §3-807. Payment of claims 
18-C §3-808. Individual liability of personal representative 
18-C §3-809. Secured claims 
18-C §3-810. Claims not due and contingent or unliquidated claims 
18-C §3-811. Counterclaims 
18-C §3-812. Execution and levies prohibited 
18-C §3-813. Compromise of claims 
18-C §3-814. Encumbered assets 
18-C §3-815. Administration in more than one state; duty of personal representative 
18-C §3-816. Final distribution to domiciliary representative 
18-C §3-817. Survival of actions 
18-C §3-818. Damages limited to actual damages 

Part 9: SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO DISTRIBUTION

18-C §3-901. Successors' rights if no administration 
18-C §3-902. Distribution; order in which assets appropriated; abatement 
18-C §3-903. Right of retainer 
18-C §3-904. Interest on general pecuniary devise 
18-C §3-905. Penalty clause for contest 
18-C §3-906. Distribution in kind; valuation; method 
18-C §3-907. Distribution in kind; evidence 
18-C §3-908. Distribution; right or title of distributee 
18-C §3-909. Improper distribution; liability of distributee 
18-C §3-910. Purchasers from distributees protected 
18-C §3-911. Partition for purpose of distribution 
18-C §3-912. Private agreements among successors to decedent binding on personal representative 
18-C §3-913. Distributions to trustee 
18-C §3-914. Disposition of unclaimed assets 
18-C §3-915. Distribution to person under disability 
18-C §3-916. Uniform Estate Tax Apportionment Act 

Part 10: CLOSING ESTATES

18-C §3-1001. Formal proceedings terminating administration; testate or intestate; order of general protection 
18-C §3-1002. Formal proceedings terminating testate administration; order construing will without adjudicating testacy 
18-C §3-1003. Closing estates; by sworn statement of personal representative 
18-C §3-1004. Liability of distributees to claimants 
18-C §3-1005. Limitations on proceedings against personal representative 
18-C §3-1006. Limitations on actions and proceedings against distributees 
18-C §3-1007. Certificate discharging liens securing fiduciary performance 
18-C §3-1008. Subsequent administration 

Part 11: COMPROMISE OF CONTROVERSIES

18-C §3-1101. Effect of approval of agreements involving trusts, inalienable interests or interests of 3rd persons 
18-C §3-1102. Procedure for securing court approval of compromise 

Part 12: COLLECTION OF PERSONAL PROPERTY BY AFFIDAVIT AND SUMMARY ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURES FOR SMALL ESTATES

18-C §3-1201. Collection of personal property by affidavit 
18-C §3-1202. Effect of affidavit 
18-C §3-1203. Small estates; summary administrative procedure 
18-C §3-1204. Small estates; closing by sworn statement of personal representative 
18-C §3-1205. Social security payments 
The Revisor's Office cannot provide legal advice or interpretation of Maine law to the public.
If you need legal advice, please consult a qualified attorney.
Office of the Revisor of Statutes · 7 State House Station · State House Room 108 · Augusta, Maine 04333-0007
Data for this page extracted on 1/07/2025 11:10:17.
Maine Government
Legislature • Executive • Judicial • Agency Rules
Visit the State House
Tour Guide • Accessibility • Security Screening • Directions & Parking
Email
Office of the Revisor of Statutes