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B26-0316 • 2025

Strengthening Probate Administration Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Strengthening Probate Administration Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Pinto
Last action
2025-10-01
Official status
Official Law
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Strengthening Probate Administration Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

This act temporarily changes the rules for probate proceedings in Washington D.C., allowing the Register of Wills to refer cases to court and clarifying when certain provisions apply.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes how abbreviated probate proceedings are defined, making it clearer what they involve.
  • Gives the Register of Wills the power to send cases to court if there's a need to decide on appointing personal representatives or admitting wills to probate.
  • Removes references to will admission in transfers by affidavit.
  • Clarifies that certain provisions apply only to estates where the person died on or after March 21, 2025.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People involved in probate proceedings in Washington D.C.
  • The Register of Wills and courts handling probate cases

Terms To Know

abbreviated probate
A simpler process for dealing with a will or determining if someone died without leaving a will.
personal representative
The person appointed by the court to manage an estate after someone dies.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This act is only in effect until May 14, 2026.
  • It does not change how probate works for estates where the deceased died before March 21, 2025.

Bill History

  1. 2025-10-01 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Law Number L26-0047 Effective from Oct 01, 2025, Expires on May 14, 2026

  2. 2025-08-19 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Congress

  3. 2025-08-15 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0134 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 008936

  4. 2025-08-12 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  5. 2025-08-11 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0134

  6. 2025-07-31 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Aug 14, 2025

  7. 2025-07-28 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  8. 2025-07-18 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0316 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  9. 2025-07-14 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  10. 2025-07-14 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  11. 2025-07-10 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0316 Introduced by Councilmember Pinto at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Strengthening Probate Administration Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT.
D.C. ACT 26-134
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
AUGUST 11, 2025
Toamend,onatemporarybasis,Chapter3ofTitle20oftheDistrictofColumbiaOfficialCodetoamendthedefinitionofabbreviatedprobate,toauthorizetheRegisterofWillstorefer
proceedingstotheCourttodetermineifoneormorepersonalrepresentativesshouldbeappointedandthewillbeadmittedtoprobate,andtostrikethereferencetowill
admissionintransfersbyaffidavit;andtoamendtheStrengtheningProbateAmendmentActof2024toclarifythattheactappliestoestatesforwhomthedecedentdiedonorafterMarch 21, 2025.
BE ITENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA,Thatthis
actmaybecitedasthe“StrengtheningProbateAdministrationTemporaryAmendmentActof2025”.
Sec.2.Chapter3ofTitle20oftheDistrictofColumbiaOfficialCodeisamendedasfollows:(a)Section20-311isamendedtoreadasfollows:Ҥ20-311.Natureofproceeding.
“(a)Anabbreviatedprobateproceedingisaproceedingforprobateofa willoradeterminationofa decedent'sintestacyandfortheappointmentofapersonalrepresentative.ThisproceedingisinstitutedwhenaninterestedpersonfilesapetitionforanabbreviatedprobateproceedingwiththeCourtinaccordancewiththeprovisionsof§ 20-304.Thisproceedingmaybe conducted withoutthepriornoticerequiredforformalprobateunder § 20-323.
“(b)Thefinalityofabbreviatedprobateshallbegovernedby§20-331.”.(b)Section20-312isamendedtoreadasfollows:“§ 20-312. Action on petition.
“(a)General,— Uponarequestforabbreviatedprobatefiledinaccordance§20-304,theCourtortheRegisterofWillsshallappointoneormorepersonalrepresentatives,exceptasprovidedin§20-322.TheappointmentofapersonalrepresentativeshallconstituteanOrderforunsupervisedadministration,unlesstheOrderspecificallyprovidesforsupervisedadministrationasprovidedin§20-402.Innoevent,however,shalltheappointmentofa personalrepresentative

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
be delayedpending theCourt’sdecisionwith regardto whethertheadministrationwillbe
supervisedorunsupervised.
“(b)Wills.— In thecaseofa petitiontoadmit a willtoabbreviatedprobate,due
executionofthe willshallbe presumed and theCourt or theRegisterof Willsmay admita will
toprobateeither:(1)ifthewillappearstohavebeendulyexecutedandcontainsarecitalby
attestingwitnessesoffactsconstitutingdueexecution;or(2)upontheverifiedstatementofany
personwithpersonalknowledgeofthecircumstancesofexecution,whetherornottheperson
wasinfactanattestingwitness,recitingfactsshowingdueexecutionofthewill.
“(c)AdditionalProof— TheRegisterofWillsmayrequireadditionalverifiedproof,
which shallbe filedinthe proceeding.If theRegisterof Willsrequiresadditionalproof,the
mattermay bereferredtotheCourttodetermineifoneormore personalrepresentativesshallbe
appointedandwhetherthewillshouldbeadmittedtoprobate.”.
(c)Section20-361(a)(4)isrepealed.
Sec.3.Section7oftheStrengtheningProbateAdministrationAmendmentActof2024,effectiveMarch21,2025(D.C.Law25-302;72DCR 780),isamendedbyaddinganewsubsection(d)toreadasfollows:“(d)ThisactshallapplytoestatesofdecedentswhodiedonorafterMarch21,2025.”.

Sec.4.Fiscalimpactstatement.‘TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpact
statementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a)..
Sec.5. Effectivedate.
(a)ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreview

ENROLLED ORIGINAL.
asprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02(c)(1)).(b)Thisactshallexpireafter225daysofitshavingtakeneffect.
lipl-—
‘hairman
Councilofthe Districtof Columbia

AUGUST 11, 2025

COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA

WASHINGTON,DC,20004
[]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[XTACTION FirstReading
[X]VOTEDATE July14,2025
[DQVOICEvoTE ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
‘ABSENT |

[]ROLLCALLVOTEResult |

[CounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec|CounciMember[aye[Nay|Nv[AB[RecCounciMember[Aye[Nay|NV[AB[Reo
CChaimanMendelson)X Henderson|X Pinto
Alen x LewisGeorge|x White
Bonds x MeDute x
Felder x Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker x
X=IndicateVote {AB~Absent NV-Prosent,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
Po |
SecretlyforeCoun Date
DocketNo,826-0316
[X]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR,

[XTACTION FinalReading,CC
[UX]VOTEDATE July28,2026
DxVoIcevoTE ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTE~Result

[CounciMember[Aye[NayNV [AB|Rec|CouncitMember[Aye[NayNV [AB[Rec]CounciiMember_|Aye|Nay|Nv[AB[Ree
ChairmanMendelson)X Henderson x Pinto
Allen x LewisGeorge| x R.White
Bonds x McDuffie x
Folder x Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker x
X-IndicateVote ‘AB~Absent NV--Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused
cenncsTonnecono_ Seek YSoo bsie