A judicial process that determines a will's validity and administers the estate, thereby ensuring the faithful execution of all instructions found under the will
Referred to as "surrogate court" in some states, probate court is a division of a state trial court or a specialized court that only hears cases concerning the distribution of deceased persons' estate
The court which handles wills, estates, and commitment of mentally ill persons The court also has jurisdiction over matters involving minors, usually through a juvenile division
- The court that has jurisdiction over the probate of wills, the grant of administration, and supervision of the management and settlement of the estates of decedents, including the collection of assets, the allowance of claims, and the distribution of the estate In some states, probate courts (also called surrogate courts, orphan's courts, or courts of chancery) have jurisdiction over the estates of minors, including the appointment of guardians and the settlement of their accounts and the estate of incompetents, habitual drunkards, and spendthrifts