12.27.11
Posted in General, Probate at 4:23 pm by Mark Leahy
The Massachusetts House and Senate have voted to delay the implementation of the second phase of the MUPC until March 31, 2012. Governor Patrick will sign the bill on December 30. Technical changes to the MUPC and the Uniform Trust Code will wait as well. New probate forms had been posted on the Court’s website on December 19, but have been removed for the time being. Standing order 5-11 has been modified to reflect the new schedule and may be found at www.mass.gov/courts/courtsandjudges/courts/probateandfamilycourt/mupchub.html
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12.10.11
Posted in General, Probate at 1:49 pm by Mark Leahy
Surprisingly, the topic which garnered the most interest at a recent seminar at Suffolk Law School was the personal representative’s power to direct the funeral of a decedent. Code section 3-701 permits a personal representative to “carry out written instructions relating to the decedent’s body, funeral and burial arrangements.” This authority is available to the person nominated in the Will, even before the Will is offered for probate. There is no guidance as to whether the instructions should be signed, witnessed, etc. Prior Massachusetts law gave the spouse, or if none, the next of kin control over funeral arrangements.
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