Source: http://tennesseewillsandestates.com/Default.aspx?month=3&year=2013
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 22:04:15+00:00

Document:
Can an out-of-state will be probated in Tennessee?
A will executed outside this state in a manner prescribed by §§ 32-1-101 -- 32-1-108, inclusive, or a written will executed outside this state in a manner prescribed by the law of the place of its execution or by the law of the testator's domicile at the time of its execution, shall have the same force and effect in this state as if executed in this state in compliance with those sections.
when used to refer to a person's domicile or legal residence, the term indicates a particular place where a person has a permanent home and to which the person has a concurrent intention to return and to remain. A person may have more than one residence but may have only one domicile or legal residence.
A person cannot acquire a new domicile or legal residence without first abandoning another. Accordingly, to change domicile or legal residence, a person must: (1) actually change his or her residence to a new place; (2) intend to abandon his or her old domicile; and (3) intend to establish a new domicile at the new residence. A person who is mentally incompetent cannot voluntarily change domicile or legal residence because he or she does not have the requisite intent either to abandon their old domicile or to acquire a new one.
What is the Tennessee statute of limitations to set aside the probate of a will?
All actions or proceedings to set aside the probate of any will, or petitions to certify a will for an issue of devisavit vel non, must be brought within two (2) years from entry of the order admitting the will to probate, or be forever barred, saving, however, to persons under the age of eighteen (18) years or adjudicated incompetent, at the time the cause of action accrues, the rights conferred by § 28-1-106.
If the person entitled to commence an action is, at the time the cause of action accrued, either under eighteen (18) years of age, or adjudicated incompetent, such person, or such person's representatives and privies, as the case may be, may commence the action, after legal rights are restored, within the time of limitation for the particular cause of action, unless it exceeds three (3) years, and in that case within three (3) years from restoration of legal rights.
As a result, individuals who are under 18 years of age or who are adjudicated incompetent at the time the cause of action accrued, have two years from the date of the “restoration of legal rights” to file suit. The “restoration of legal rights” occurs at the age of 18 for a minor and on the date the incompetent individual is no longer incompetent.
Under Tennessee law is a bond required of a personal representative (executor or administrator) of an estate?
(D) The personal representative is a bank that is excused from the requirements of bond by § 45-2-1005.
(b) Any interested person may petition the court to suggest and show that the personal representative is wasting, or likely to waste, the estate. In this event, the court may require bond in an amount it deems advisable.
(2) If the preceding exemptions from making bond do not apply, the clerk, before issuing the letters, shall take from the personal representative a bond payable to the state, with two (2) or more sufficient sureties or one (1) corporate surety, in an amount determined by the court. If bond is required, the bond shall not be less than the value of the estate of the decedent subject to administration nor more than double the value of the estate and the court may increase or decrease the amount at any time by order.
Under Tennessee law, can a living will be revoked?
(1) Written revocation by the declarant, dated and signed by the declarant.
(2) By oral statement or revocation made by the declarant to the attending physician. This revocation shall be made a part of the declarant's medical record by the attending physician.
As a result, even if an individual's mental state or competency is in question, if the revocation of the living will complies with one of the two provisions in this statute, then the living will is revoked.
How is an insolvent estate handled under Tennessee probate law?
(a) The notice of insolvency shall contain an accounting of assets that have come into the hands of the personal representative and a proposed plan of distribution in accordance with § 30-2-317.
(c) If no objections are filed within the thirty-day waiting period, the personal representative may execute the proposed plan of distribution and close the estate, relieving the personal representative of any further liability to the estate.
If there are any objections to the proposed plan of distribution than a hearing can be held pursuant to T.C.A. § 30-5-104 to determine if the proposed plan is appropriate. After all of the objections to the plan of distribution are resolved, then distributions can be made and the estate can be closed under T.C.A. § 30-5-105.
What is the priority for claims or demands against an estate under Tennessee law?
How is a last will and testament proved as valid in probate court in Tennessee?
(a) Written wills with witnesses, when not contested, shall be proved by at least one of the subscribing witnesses, if living. Every last will and testament, written or nuncupative, when contested, shall be proved by all the living witnesses, if to be found, and by such other persons as may be produced to support it.
[T]he general rule is that the proponents of a will establish a prima facie case as to its due execution when the genuineness of the signatures of the testator and subscribing witnesses along with an attestation clause containing recitations of due execution is shown. Such a prima facie case in favor of the due execution of a will is not abandoned by presenting testimony of living witnesses which is otherwise.
Thus it is held that by virtue of the presumption the burden of going forward with the evidence shifts from the proponent of the will whose execution is at issue to the contestants. The presumption is rebuttable, but it is established that, to overcome the presumption, the contestant must present “clear and satisfactory” proof of lack of due execution.
Can a beneficiary or heir of an estate force the distribution of estate assets?
(a) Any distributee or legatee of the estate may, after the expiration of eighteen (18) months from the grant of letters, apply to the probate or chancery court of the county in which administration was taken out, to compel the payment of the distributee's or legatee's distributive share or legacy.
(b) The application shall be by petition or bill, shall set forth the claim of the applicant as legatee or distributee, shall allege that the assets of the estate are more than sufficient to pay the debts, charges, and other claims, if any, entitled to priority, and be verified, by affidavit.
(c) The proceedings under the application shall be conducted as other equitable actions, and heard and determined summarily as soon as practicable.
This petition must set forth specific allegations that the assets are sufficient to pay all debts and claims against the estate. This petition must be supported by an affidavit.
The court then must determine if it is appropriate to distribute certain assets of the estate to the beneficiary or heir. This statute can be used to try to force a distribution in an estate that has been delayed over eighteen months. If an estate is open in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Tennessee for a long time with no distribution, a Tennessee probate attorney can assist to bring the matter to conclusion by using this or other statutes that provide tools to move a probate estate forward to conclusion.
Who can file a petition for the appointment of a conservator in Tennessee?
A petition for the appointment of a conservator may be filed by any person having knowledge of the circumstances necessitating the appointment of a conservator.
As a result, the statute provides only limited restrictions on who can file a petition for the appointment of a conservator in Tennessee. The only real limitation is that the individual must have knowledge of the circumstances necessitating the appointment of a conservator.
This does not mean that the person who files a petition to be appointed as conservator will actually be appointed. T.C.A. § 34-3-103 provides a list of priority for those the court should consider to be appointed as conservator in Tennessee for a “disabled person”.

References: § 28
 § 45
 § 30
 § 30
 § 30
 § 34