Part 1 General Provisions 15-3-101 – 15-3-111
Part 2 Venue for Probate and Administration — Priority to Administer — Demand for Notice 15-3-201 – 15-3-204
Part 3 Informal Probate and Appointment Proceedings 15-3-301 – 15-3-311
Part 4 Formal Testacy and Appointment Proceedings 15-3-401 – 15-3-414
Part 5 Supervised Administration 15-3-501 – 15-3-505
Part 6 Personal Representative — Appointment, Control and Termination of Authority 15-3-601 – 15-3-618
Part 7 Duties and Powers of Personal Representatives 15-3-701 – 15-3-721
Part 8 Creditors’ Claims 15-3-801 – 15-3-817
Part 9 Special Provisions Relating to Distribution 15-3-901 – 15-3-915
Part 10 Closing Estates 15-3-1001 – 15-3-1009
Part 11 Compromise of Controversies 15-3-1101 – 15-3-1102
Part 12 Collection of Personal Property by Affidavit and Summary Administration Procedure for Small Estates 15-3-1201 – 15-3-1205
Part 13 Uniform Estate Tax Apportionment 15-3-1301 – 15-3-1314

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Terms Used In Idaho Code > Title 15 > Chapter 3 - Probate of Wills and Administration

  • action: as used in this chapter is to be construed, whenever it is necessary so to do, as including a special proceeding of a civil nature. See Idaho Code 5-240
  • Administrator: means the director of the Idaho department of finance or his designee. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Adult: means an individual who has attained the age of twenty-one (21) years. See Idaho Code 68-801
  • Adult: means an individual who is at least eighteen (18) years of age. See Idaho Code 68-1301
  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Agent: means an individual, other than a broker-dealer, who represents a broker-dealer in effecting or attempting to effect purchases or sales of securities or who represents an issuer in effecting or attempting to effect purchases or sales of the issuer's securities. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Amortization: Paying off a loan by regular installments.
  • Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
  • Apportionable estate: means the value of the gross estate as finally determined for purposes of the estate tax to be apportioned reduced by:
Idaho Code 15-3-1302
  • Appraisal: A determination of property value.
  • Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Attachment: A procedure by which a person's property is seized to pay judgments levied by the court.
  • Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
  • Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • Beneficiary: means an individual for whom property has been transferred to or held under a declaration of trust by a custodial trustee for the individual’s use and benefit under this chapter. See Idaho Code 68-1301
  • Broker: means a person lawfully engaged in the business of effecting transactions in securities or commodities for the person’s own account or for the account of others. See Idaho Code 68-801
  • Broker-dealer: means a person engaged in the business of effecting transactions in securities for the account of others or for the person's own account. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Chambers: A judge's office.
  • Charity: An agency, institution, or organization in existence and operating for the benefit of an indefinite number of persons and conducted for educational, religious, scientific, medical, or other beneficent purposes.
  • Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • Conservator: means a person appointed or qualified by a court to act as general, limited, or temporary guardian of a minor’s property or a person legally authorized to perform substantially the same functions. See Idaho Code 68-801
  • Conservator: means a person appointed or qualified by a court to manage the estate of an individual or a person legally authorized to perform substantially the same functions. See Idaho Code 68-1301
  • Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
  • Court: means district courts of this state, including the magistrates division, and includes, when the context requires, any judge of the court;
  • Idaho Code 2-204
  • Court: means the district courts of the state of Idaho. See Idaho Code 68-801
  • Court: means the district court of this state. See Idaho Code 68-1301
  • Custodial property: means (i) any interest in property transferred to a custodian under this chapter and (ii) the income from and proceeds of that interest in property. See Idaho Code 68-801
  • Custodial trust property: means an interest in property transferred to or held under a declaration of trust by a custodial trustee under this chapter and the income from and proceeds of that interest. See Idaho Code 68-1301
  • Custodial trustee: means a person designated as trustee of a custodial trust under this chapter or a substitute or successor to the person designated. See Idaho Code 68-1301
  • Custodian: means a person so designated under section 68-809, Idaho Code, or a successor or substitute custodian designated under section 68-818, Idaho Code. See Idaho Code 68-801
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
  • Depository institution: means :
  • Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Devise: To gift property by will.
  • Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
  • Donee: The recipient of a gift.
  • En banc: In the bench or "full bench." Refers to court sessions with the entire membership of a court participating rather than the usual quorum. U.S. courts of appeals usually sit in panels of three judges, but may expand to a larger number in certain cases. They are then said to be sitting en banc.
  • Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
  • Estate tax: means a federal, state, or foreign tax, however denominated, imposed because of the death of an individual and interest and penalties associated with the tax. See Idaho Code 15-3-1302
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
  • Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
  • Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
  • Federal covered investment adviser: means a person registered under the investment advisers act of 1940, as cited in section 30-14-103, Idaho Code. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Federal covered security: means a security that is, or upon completion of a transaction will be, a covered security under section 18(b) of the securities act of 1933 (15 U. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Federal Reserve System: The central bank of the United States. The Fed, as it is commonly called, regulates the U.S. monetary and financial system. The Federal Reserve System is composed of a central governmental agency in Washington, D.C. (the Board of Governors) and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks in major cities throughout the United States. Source: OCC
  • Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
  • Filing: means the receipt under this chapter of a record by the administrator or a designee of the administrator. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Financial institution: means a bank, trust company, savings and loan association, or credit union, chartered and supervised under state or federal law. See Idaho Code 68-801
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. Source: OCC
  • Forgery: The fraudulent signing or alteration of another's name to an instrument such as a deed, mortgage, or check. The intent of the forgery is to deceive or defraud. Source: OCC
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Garnishment: Generally, garnishment is a court proceeding in which a creditor asks a court to order a third party who owes money to the debtor or otherwise holds assets belonging to the debtor to turn over to the creditor any of the debtor
  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
  • Grantor: The person who establishes a trust and places property into it.
  • Gross estate: The total fair market value of all property and property interests, real and personal, tangible and intangible, of which a decedent had beneficial ownership at the time of death before subtractions for deductions, debts, administrative expenses, and casualty losses suffered during estate administration.
  • Gross estate: means , with respect to an estate tax, all interests in property subject to the tax. See Idaho Code 15-3-1302
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Guardian: means a person appointed or qualified by a court as a guardian of an individual, including a limited guardian, but not a person who is only a guardian ad litem. See Idaho Code 68-1301
  • Habeas corpus: A writ that is usually used to bring a prisoner before the court to determine the legality of his imprisonment. It may also be used to bring a person in custody before the court to give testimony, or to be prosecuted.
  • Impeachment: (1) The process of calling something into question, as in "impeaching the testimony of a witness." (2) The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may "impeach" (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government for trial in the Senate.
  • Incapacitated: means lacking the ability to manage property and business affairs effectively by reason of mental illness, mental disability, physical illness or disability, chronic use of drugs, chronic intoxication, confinement, detention by a foreign power, disappearance, minority, or other disabling cause. See Idaho Code 68-1301
  • Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. Source: FDIC
  • Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
  • Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
  • Institutional investor: means any of the following, whether acting for itself or for others in a fiduciary capacity:
  • Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
  • Investment adviser: means a person that, for compensation, engages in the business of advising others, either directly or through publications or writings, as to the value of securities or the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities or that, for compensation and as a part of a regular business, issues or promulgates analyses or reports concerning securities. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Investment adviser representative: means an individual employed by or associated with an investment adviser or federal covered investment adviser who makes any recommendations or otherwise gives investment advice regarding securities, manages accounts or portfolios of clients, determines which recommendation or advice regarding securities should be given, provides investment advice or holds herself or himself out as providing investment advice, receives compensation to solicit, offer, or negotiate for the sale of or for selling investment advice, or supervises employees who perform any of the foregoing. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Issuer: means a person that issues or proposes to issue a security, subject to the following:
  • Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • 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.
  • Jurisprudence: The study of law and the structure of the legal system.
  • Juror: A person who is on the jury.
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Legal representative: means an individual’s personal representative or conservator. See Idaho Code 68-801
  • Legal representative: means a personal representative or conservator. See Idaho Code 68-1301
  • Legatee: A beneficiary of a decedent
  • Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • Magistrate judges: Judicial officers who assist U.S. district judges in getting cases ready for trial, who may decide some criminal and civil trials when both parties agree to have the case heard by a magistrate judge instead of a judge.
  • Master jury list: means the voter registration lists for the county which shall be supplemented with names from other sources prescribed pursuant to section 2-206, Idaho Code, in order to foster the policy and protect the rights secured by sections 2-202 and 2-203, Idaho Code;
  • Idaho Code 2-204
  • Minor: means an individual who has not attained the age of twenty-one (21) years. See Idaho Code 68-801
  • Month: means a calendar month, unless otherwise expressed. See Idaho Code 73-114
  • Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
  • nonissuer distribution: means a transaction or distribution not directly or indirectly for the benefit of the issuer. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person;
  • Idaho Code 73-114
  • Person: means an individual, corporation, organization, or other legal entity. See Idaho Code 68-801
  • Person: means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, joint venture, association, or any other legal or commercial entity. See Idaho Code 68-1301
  • Person: means an individual; corporation; business trust; estate; trust; partnership; limited liability company; association; joint venture; government; governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality; public corporation; or any other legal or commercial entity. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Personal property: includes money, goods, chattels, things in action, evidences of debt and general intangibles as defined in the uniform commercial code — secured transactions. See Idaho Code 73-114
  • Personal property: All property that is not real property.
  • Personal representative: means an executor, administrator, successor personal representative, or special administrator of a decedent’s estate or a person legally authorized to perform substantially the same functions. See Idaho Code 68-801
  • Personal representative: means an executor, administrator, or special administrator of a decedent’s estate, a person legally authorized to perform substantially the same functions, or a successor to any of them. See Idaho Code 68-1301
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
  • Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. Source: OCC
  • Predecessor act: means the act repealed by section 30-14-702, Idaho Code. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
  • Probate: Proving a will
  • Property: includes both real and personal property. See Idaho Code 73-114
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
  • Prospective jury panel: means the list of names or identifying numbers of prospective jurors drawn at random from the master jury list pursuant to section 2-208, Idaho Code, and who are not disqualified pursuant to section 2-209, Idaho Code. See Idaho Code 2-204
  • Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
  • Ratable: means apportioned or allocated pro rata according to the relative values of interests to which the term is to be applied. See Idaho Code 15-3-1302
  • Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
  • Recess: A temporary interruption of the legislative business.
  • Registered mail: includes certified mail. See Idaho Code 73-114
  • Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
  • Remand: When an appellate court sends a case back to a lower court for further proceedings.
  • Rescission: The cancellation of budget authority previously provided by Congress. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 specifies that the President may propose to Congress that funds be rescinded. If both Houses have not approved a rescission proposal (by passing legislation) within 45 days of continuous session, any funds being withheld must be made available for obligation.
  • retirement board: as used in this chapter shall mean the retirement board created by section 59-1304, Idaho Code. See Idaho Code 1-2001
  • Revocable trust: A trust agreement that can be canceled, rescinded, revoked, or repealed by the grantor (person who establishes the trust).
  • Right of survivorship: The ownership rights that result in the acquisition of title to property by reason of having survived other co-owners.
  • Sale: includes every contract of sale, contract to sell, or disposition of, a security or interest in a security for value. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • seal: includes an impression of such seal upon the paper, alone, as well as upon wax or a wafer affixed thereto; or, alternatively, the seal may be the mark of a rubber stamp providing substantially the same information as the impression. See Idaho Code 73-111
  • Securities and exchange commission: means the United States securities and exchange commission. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Security: means a note; stock; treasury stock; security future; bond; debenture; evidence of indebtedness; certificate of interest or participation in a profit-sharing agreement; collateral trust certificate; preorganization certificate or subscription; transferable share; investment contract; voting trust certificate; certificate of deposit for a security; fractional undivided interest in oil, gas or other mineral rights; put, call, straddle, option or privilege on a security, certificate of deposit, or group or index of securities, including an interest therein or based on the value thereof; put, call, straddle, option, or privilege entered into on a national securities exchange relating to foreign currency; or, in general, an interest or instrument commonly known as a "security"; or a certificate of interest or participation in, temporary or interim certificate for, receipt for, guarantee of, or warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase, any of the foregoing. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Self-regulatory organization: means a national securities exchange registered under the securities exchange act of 1934, a national securities association of broker-dealers registered under the securities exchange act of 1934, a clearing agency registered under the securities exchange act of 1934, or the municipal securities rulemaking board established under the securities exchange act of 1934. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
  • Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories; and the words "United States" may include the District of Columbia and territories. See Idaho Code 73-114
  • State: includes any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession subject to the legislative authority of the United States. See Idaho Code 68-801
  • State: means a state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See Idaho Code 68-1301
  • State: means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. See Idaho Code 30-14-102
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
  • Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
  • Testate: To die leaving a will.
  • Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.
  • Testify: Answer questions in court.
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
  • Time-limited interest: means an interest in property which terminates on a lapse of time or on the occurrence or nonoccurrence of an event or which is subject to the exercise of discretion that could transfer a beneficial interest to another person. See Idaho Code 15-3-1302
  • Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
  • Transcript: A written, word-for-word record of what was said, either in a proceeding such as a trial or during some other conversation, as in a transcript of a hearing or oral deposition.
  • Transfer: means a transaction that creates custodial property under section 68-809, Idaho Code. See Idaho Code 68-801
  • Transferor: means a person who makes a transfer under this chapter. See Idaho Code 68-801
  • Transferor: means a person who creates a custodial trust by transfer or declaration. See Idaho Code 68-1301
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Trial jury: A group of citizens who hear the evidence presented by both sides at trial and determine the facts in dispute. Federal criminal juries consist of 12 persons. Federal civil juries consist of six persons.
  • Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. Source: OCC
  • Trust company: means a financial institution, corporation, or other legal entity, authorized to exercise general trust powers. See Idaho Code 68-801
  • Trust company: means a financial institution, corporation, or other legal entity, authorized to exercise general trust powers. See Idaho Code 68-1301
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
  • Trustor: The person who makes or creates a trust. Also known as the grantor or settlor.
  • Value: means , with respect to an interest in property, fair market value as finally determined for purposes of the estate tax that is to be apportioned, reduced by any outstanding debt secured by the interest without reduction:
  • Idaho Code 15-3-1302
  • Venue: The geographical location in which a case is tried.
  • Verdict: The decision of a petit jury or a judge.
  • Voter registration lists: means the most current official records, maintained by the county clerk, of persons registered to vote in any national, state, county, or municipal election;
  • Idaho Code 2-204