Missouri Laws 473.043 – Will of decedent, where delivered — wills found in safe deposit boxes, how ..
1. After the death of the testator, the person having custody of his will shall deliver it to the probate division of the circuit court which has jurisdiction of the estate or to the probate division of the circuit court of the county where the will is found and if the latter, that court shall keep a copy and deliver the original will, by certified mail, to the probate division of the circuit court which has jurisdiction of the estate.
2. Wills of decedents found in safe deposit boxes are in the custody of the depository for the purposes of this section and said depository may make a copy of the will before delivering it to the proper court.
Terms Used In Missouri Laws 473.043
- Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Probate: Proving a will
- Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.
3. If the probate division of the circuit court is satisfactorily informed that any person has in his possession the will of any testator, and refuses to produce the same, the court may summon the person, and compel him, by attachment and commitment, to produce the same.