Maryland law requires that all estate assets go through probate before being distributed unless the assets remaining following the decedent’s death are non-probate assets. Smaller estates may be able to go through probate faster than other, larger estates, but they will still likely have to go through probate proceedings regardless of their worth. That is, of course, unless the decedent took the appropriate measures to avoid probate, such as setting up trusts or sharing their assets with a joint owner.