New york letter of testamentary

Since 1787, wills and other papers relating to the estates of deceased persons have been filed in and retained by the Surrogate's Court in each county of the state. This pathfinder will direct you to the best sources for probate records created in New York from the British colonial period to the present. These records contain information on the property of decedents, the identity and relationships of heirs, and legal actions taken to prove wills and settle estates. Probate records include wills, estate inventories, letters of administration, and other documents relating to the administration and settlement of deceased persons’ estates.

distributing the deceased person's property according to the will or, if there is no will, according to law.

identifying and inventorying the deceased person's property, in some cases.

appointing someone to handle the deceased person's affairs.

proving the authenticity of the deceased person's will.

Probate is the court process following a person's death that includes