An Act to amend the District of Columbia Code with respect to the administration of small estates, and for other purposes
PL 92-88 (H.R.7931), enacted 08/11/1971

85 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW 92-88-AUG. 11, 1971 
313 
(d) In the last sentence in subsection (a) of section 11 of the Act 
strike out "Secretary of the Interior" and insert in lieu thereof 
"Secretary of Commerce". 
SEC. 111. (a) Section 3(a) of the Act is amended by adding at the 
end thereof the following: "The Secretary of State, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Commei-ce, may designate from time to time 
Alternate United States Commissioners to the Commission. An Al-
ternate United States Commissioner may exercise, at any meeting of 
the Commission or of the United States Commissioners or of the 
advisory committee established pursuant to section 4, all powers and 
duties of a United States Commissioner in the absence of a duly desig-
nated Commissioner for whatever reason. The number of such Al-
ternate United States Commissioners that may be designated for any 
such meeting shall be limited to the number of authorized United 
States Commissioners that will not be present." 
(b) Section 3(b) of the Act is amended by inserting immediately 
after "Commissioners" in both places it occurs, the following: "or 
Alternate Commissioners". 
(c) Section 5 of the Act is amended to read as follows: 
"SEC. 5. Service of an individual as a United States Commissioner 
or Alternate United States Commissioner appointed pursuant to sec-
tion 3(a), or as a member of the advisory committee appointed pur-
suant to section 4(a), shall be deemed service as a special Government 
employee of the United States, as defined in section 202 of title 18, 
United States Code." \ 
(d) Section 12 of the Act is amended by inserting immediately 
after "Commissioners" the following: ", Alternate United States 
Commissioners,". 
Approved August 11, 1971. 
64 Stat. 1070. 
16 u s e 990. 
Alternate U.S. 
Commissioners. 
16 use 982. 
16 u s e 983. 
16 use 984. 
76 Stat. 1121; 
82 Stat. 1115. 
16 u s e 991. 
Public Law 92-88 
AN ACT 
To amend the District of Columbia Code with respect to the administration 
of small estates, and for other purposes. 
August 11, 1971 
[H. R. 7931] 
Probate fees. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may „^^^"'\'^' 
be cited as the "District of Columbia Administration of Estates Act", itrat"^ o
^ 
SEC. 2. Sections 20-2101, 20-2102, 20-2106, and 20-2107 of the Dis- Act. 
trict of Columbia Code (relating to the administration of small 
79 stat. 
estates) are each amended by striking out "$500" wherever it appears 
and inserting in lieu thereof "$2,500". 
SEC. 3 (a) Section 15-707 (a) of the District of Columbia Code, 
as amended by section 144(10) (A) of the District of Columbia Court 
Reorganization Act of 1970, is amended by striking out "Superior 
84 stat. 553 
Court" and inserting in lieu thereof "court having jurisdiction over 
probate ma<^ters in the District of Columbia." 
(b) Section 15-707(b) of the District of Columbia Code, as 
amended by section 144(10) (A) of the District of Columbia Court 
Reorganization Act of 1970, is amended to read as follows: 
"(b) Where the estate does not exceed $500 in value the Register 
of Wills shall receive no fees, and where the estate does not exceed 
$2,500 in value the fees may not exceed $15." 
SEC. 4. The last sentence of section 20-2105 of the District of Co-
lumbia Code (relating to the administration of small estates) is 
amended to read as follows: "The Register of Wills may demand and 
receive for services performed by him under this chapter such fees 
of 
Adminis-
Estates 
730. 
314 
PUBLIC LAW 92-88-AUG. 11, 1971 
[85 STAT. 
Family allow-
ance. 
79 Stat. 693. 
Motor vehicles, 
title transfer. 
64 Stat. 792; 
70 Stat. 102. 
Administrator, 
order of prefer-
ence. 
79 Stat. 706. 
Realty sales, 
court authority. 
79 Stat. 718. 
Guardian ad 
litem. 
as shall be set by the court having jurisdiction over probate matters 
in the District of Columbia." 
SEC. 5. Section 19-101 of the District of Columbia Code (relating 
to the family allowance) is amended— 
(1) by striking out in subsection (a) and subsection (e) 
"$500" and inserting in lieu thereof "$2,500"; and 
(2) by striking out in the third sentence of subsection (a) 
"$200" and inserting in lieu thereof "$600". 
SEC. 6. Section 2 of title IV of the District of Columbia Revenue 
Act of 1937, as amended (D.C. Code, sec. 40-102) is further amended 
by adding at the end of subsection (d) thereof the following: "When 
the only assets of a decedent's estate requiring administration con-
sist of not more than two motor vehicles, the Commissioner of the 
District of Columbia may upon proof satisfactory to him that all debts 
and taxes owed by the decedent have been paid or provided for, 
transfer the title to such motor vehicles to the person or persons 
entitled thereto or their nominee; and in such case, no administration 
of the decedent's estate, or other proceedings, need be had. In the 
event that any of the persons entitled to the transfer of title hereunder 
shall be a minor, the custodian or the legal guardian of said minor 
may nominate transferees on behalf of such minor." 
SEC. 7. Section 20-334 of the District of Columbia Code (relating to 
the order of preference of persons entitled to administer estates) is 
amended— 
(1) by striking out in clause (3) of subsection (a) "the father 
shall be preferred; and, where there is no father, the mother shall 
be preferred", and inserting in lieu thereof "the father or mother 
shall be preferred"; and 
(2) by deleting in such subsection (a), clauses numbered (5), 
^9), and (10), and redesignating clauses numbered (6), (7), and 
(8) as (5), (6),and (7),respectively. 
SEC. 8. Section 20-1106 of the District of Columbia Code (relating 
to the authority of ttie court regarding sales of realty) is amended— 
(1) by insertin^--in the third sentence immediately after the 
word "or" the following: ", except where consents have been filed 
with the court as hereinafter provided,"; and 
(2) by adding the following: "Upon a proper showing by the 
fiduciary of an estate that the personal estate of a decedent is 
insufficient to meet all of the aforesaid charges and that all or part 
of the decedent's real estate must be sold to pay all or part of the 
said charges, the court may order the sale of all or part of said real 
estate without reference to the auditor, provided all persons who 
have an interest in the real estate to be sold shall have filed with the 
court their consents to the sale thereof. In the event a person hav-
ing an interest in the said real estate is not sui juris, the court may 
accept on his behalf the consent of a fiduciary duly appointed for 
the estate of said person, or may appoint a guardian ad litem who 
shall have the right to file a consent on behalf of said person"; and 
(3) by adding at the end of the section heading, immediately 
following the word "report",, a semicolon and "sales'without ref-
erence to the auditor". 
SEC. 9. The item relating to section 20-1106 in the analysis of chapter 
11 is amended by inserting immediately before the period at the end 
of the word "report", a semicolon and "sales without reference to the 
auditor". 
SEC. 10. Section 18-511 of the District of Columbia Code (relating 
to the appointment of a guardian ad litem) is amended by striking 
out "shall" and inserting in lieu thereof "may". 
Approved August 11, 1971.