What is the difference between standard and abbreviated probate?
An abbreviated probate proceeding may be filed by a person having priority to serve as personal representative. Most estate administrations are abbreviated probates. Unusual estates, such as those in which the person seeking appointment does not have priority to be appointed or someone is seeking admission of a copy of a will or exclusion of an original will, require a standard probate proceeding. See D.C. Code, sec. 20-321, et seq. In standard probate proceedings, there are additional filing requirements and an additional set of publications before a personal representative is appointed. Once a personal representative is appointed, the estate is either supervised or unsupervised.
