Petition for Letters of Administration - Alabama Preparation Packet

ALABAMA LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION — PREPARATION PACKET

Do not file this packet. Obtain the current form and filing instructions from the correct Alabama probate court and the current statewide probate-form source. Transfer only verified facts and counsel-approved requests into the required filing.

1. Matter and Court Control

Current Official Source Register

2. Current-Authority Gate

☐ Current statutes, official forms, county instructions, and case orders were checked.

☐ Pending and recently effective amendments were checked.

☐ Every person, relationship, priority assertion, and requested finding is supported.

3. Death, Domicile, and Will Search

Counsel conclusion on intestate administration route: [________________]

4. Petitioner and Appointment Priority

5. Family Tree and Interested Persons

Do not infer heirship from a short relationship label. Build and verify the family tree.

Additional Screens

☐ Adopted person / adoption decree

☐ Nonmarital child / parentage record

☐ Predeceased child and descendants

☐ Simultaneous / uncertain survival

☐ Disclaimer / slayer / forfeiture issue

☐ Missing or unknown heir

☐ Minor or incapacitated person

☐ Unborn or unascertained interest

☐ Spousal election, homestead, exempt property, or family allowance

Counsel-approved heir and interested-person list: [________________]

6. Asset and Administration Need

Debts, liens, taxes, benefits, refunds, causes of action, digital assets, and business interests: [________________]

Estate value used for filing / bond: [________________]

Reason formal administration is needed: [________________]

Alternative route considered and rejected: [________________]

7. Bond, Oath, and Fiduciary Setup

8. Notice, Service, and Hearing Plan

Guardian ad litem / representative needed: [________________]

Waiver or consent form: [________________]

Hearing required / scheduled: [________________]

Publication search and affidavit: [________________]

Do not add a certificate of service or publication checkbox unless the current form, court instruction, or order requires it.

9. Official Form Mapping

10. Petition Drafting Matrix

11. Filing and Post-Appointment Calendar

Final Counsel Checklist

☐ Correct probate court, current forms, filing method, and fees confirmed.

☐ Death, domicile, intestacy, prior proceedings, and alternative routes verified.

☐ Family tree, heirs, minors, incapacitated persons, missing persons, and interested parties are complete.

☐ Petitioner priority, equal or higher priority, renunciations, qualification, and conflicts are resolved.

☐ Probate and nonprobate assets, debts, allowances, taxes, benefits, and administration need are classified.

☐ Bond, surety, oath, notice, service, publication, hearing, and guardian-ad-litem requirements are current.

☐ The proposed administrator's age and capacity have been checked. Alabama's general age of majority is 19 (Ala. Code § 26-1-1); § 43-2-22(a) expressly bars appointment of an executor under 19. The proposed administrator's fitness and appointment priority have been reviewed under § 43-2-42.

☐ No unsupported five-day rule, automatic bond, mandatory hearing, generic service certificate, or boilerplate finding remains.

☐ Only current official and county-required forms—not this packet—will be filed.

☐ Post-appointment duties and deadlines are calendared.

☐ Unused options and drafting notes were deleted.