(1) A person who in good faith either assists a personal representative or deals with the personal representative for value is protected as if the personal representative properly exercised a power. The fact that a person knowingly deals with a personal representative does not alone require the person to inquire into the existence of a power or the propriety of its exercise.
  (2) Except for restrictions on powers of supervised personal representatives that are endorsed on letters as provided in section 3504, a provision in a will or court order purporting to limit a personal representative’s power is not effective except as to a person with actual knowledge of the limit.

Need help with a review of a will?
Have it reviewed by a lawyer, get answers to your questions and move forward with confidence.
Connect with a lawyer now

Terms Used In Michigan Laws 700.3714

  • Application: means a written request to the probate register for an order of informal probate or informal appointment under part 3 of article III. See Michigan Laws 700.1103
  • Court: means the probate court or, when applicable, the family division of circuit court. See Michigan Laws 700.1103
  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • Estate: includes the property of the decedent, trust, or other person whose affairs are subject to this act as the property is originally constituted and as it exists throughout administration. See Michigan Laws 700.1104
  • Letters: includes , but is not limited to, letters testamentary, letters of guardianship, letters of administration, and letters of conservatorship. See Michigan Laws 700.1105
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • Person: means an individual or an organization. See Michigan Laws 700.1106
  • Personal representative: includes , but is not limited to, an executor, administrator, successor personal representative, and special personal representative, and any other person, other than a trustee of a trust subject to article VII, who performs substantially the same function under the law governing that person's status. See Michigan Laws 700.1106
  • Proceeding: includes an application and a petition, and may be an action at law or a suit in equity. See Michigan Laws 700.1106
  • Property: means anything that may be the subject of ownership, and includes both real and personal property or an interest in real or personal property. See Michigan Laws 700.1106
  (3) A person is not bound to see to the proper application of estate property paid or delivered to a personal representative.
  (4) The protection under this section extends to instances in which a procedural irregularity or jurisdictional defect occurs in a proceeding leading to the issuance of letters, including a case in which the alleged decedent is found to be alive. The protection under this section does not substitute for the protection provided by a comparable provision of law relating to a commercial transaction or a law simplifying a transfer of securities by a fiduciary. Nothing in this section discharges a lien for transfer taxes that may affect title to estate property.