District of ColumbiaExpired D.C. act let wills office seek court review after requiring more proof
When D.C.'s Register of Wills required more sworn proof, an expired emergency act let the office ask a court to decide who would manage an estate and whether to accept a will.
What it does
Under the expired emergency act, D.C.'s Register of Wills could refer an abbreviated will case to court after requiring more sworn proof. The court could decide who would manage the estate and whether to accept the will.
The expired emergency act said D.C.'s 2024 probate law applied to estates of people who died on or after March 21, 2025.
Argument forCourt review after more proof is required could help families get a decision about who manages the estate and whether the will is accepted.
Argument againstSending a will case to court after requiring more proof might add a step before a family learns who can manage the estate.
More detail
The Register of Wills could refer a case to court to decide whether to appoint one or more people to manage the estate and whether to accept the will. This covered abbreviated probate cases involving a will, which could proceed without the advance notice required in formal probate. Any extra sworn proof the Register required had to be filed in the case. The emergency act was set to take effect after mayoral approval or a veto override and last no more than 90 days.
The emergency act stated when D.C.'s 2024 probate law applied. It covered estates of people who died on or after March 21, 2025. The death-date rule included March 21, 2025; the emergency act could last no more than 90 days after taking effect.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Aug 8Act A26-0124 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 008600, Expires on Oct 30, 2025Latest
- Aug 1Returned from Mayor
- Aug 1Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0124, Expires on Oct 30, 2025Became Law
- Jul 28Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Aug 11, 2025To Governor
- Jul 14Final ReadingMinor
- Vote recorded Final Reading. Result: pass.Legislature
- Jul 14Retained by the Council
- Jul 10B26-0315 Introduced by Councilmember Pinto at Office of the SecretaryIntroduced
Government & Ethics