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the control of the Ordinary, and must make returns annually under oath to that office. Debts of the decedent rank in the following order :--1. Funeral expenses, physician's bill, and expenses of last sickness. 2. Necessary expenses of administra ion, including a year's maintenance for the family, which is fixed by five appraisers appointed by the Ordinary. 3. Taxes--State and United States. 4. Debts due by deceased as executor, administrator, guardian, or trustee. 5. Judgment, mortgages, and other liens created in his lifetime, according to priority. 6. Debts due for rent 7. All liquidated demands, including foreign judgments, bonds, promissory notes, and other debts. 8. Open accounts.

ILLINOIS-No limit as to time is fixed in the statute, as against an executor or administrator, in which he is to close estate. They are required at the end of every twelve months, after their appointment, to make a report to the Probate Court, and it is presumed they may continue to act until the estate sealed. Claims against the estate should be proved within twelve months.

INDIANA.-A reasonable time is allowed executor or administrator to settle estate. Claims should be proved within a year. Estates of dower are abol shed, and if a husband die testate or intestate, leaving a widow, one-third of the real estate may be decreed to her in fee simple, free from all demands of creditors, unless the value of the real estate exceeds $10,000. If more, a -less proportion is decreed.

Iowa. No time is fixed by the statute to close the estate of a deceased person. It rests in the discretion of the County Court to order a final account and settlement. Executor or administrator must file a full report of all his doings every twelve months, or oftener, if the Court require it. Claims should be proved within eighteen months.

KANSAS.-Claims must be presented within three years from the time of the proving of the will or the appointing of an executor or administrator. The estate as to creditors must be closed up within three years

KENTUCKY.-Executors or administrators are allowed two years to close estates. Claims can be proved at any time, and payment demanded six months after executor or administrator has qualified.

LOUISIANA.-Estates of deceased persons are administered in the parish of Orleans, in the Second District Court; in other parishes, in the Parish Courts. All suits against successions are brought in court where the succession is opened. Adminis

tered by executors, administrators, public administrators, ourators, and tutors. Debts of succession paid on filing of tableau and its due advertisement and approval by the Court.

MAINE.-Administration of the estate of a deceased person may be granted at any time within twenty years after his decease. No suit can be maintained against the executor or adminis rator of an estate unless it is commenced within two years after notice is given by him of his appointment, nor unless a demand has been made in writing for payment of the claim at least thirty days before commencement of the suit, except when assets come to is hands after that time, and then an action may be commenced within four years after the receipt thereof, proper notice being first given.

When estates are declared insolvent, all attachments existing upon such estates are dissolved by operation of law, and claims of creditors must be proved before Commissioners appointed for that purpose.

MARYLAND.-Twelve months are allowed an executor or administrator to close estate, but the Orphans' Court has discretion to allow further time.

MASSACHUSETTS.-An executor or administrator cannot be held to answer to the suit of a creditor of the deceased within the first year after his giving bond for the discharge of his trust, nor after two years from that time, unless assets come into his hands after the expiration of two years, or the first action fa ls from defect in form in the proceedings, or the right of action accrues after two years.

MICHIGAN. The time in which an executor or administrator shall close an estate is within the option of the Probate Court, but shall not exceed four years. The time in which claims must be appointed and proven is within the option of said Court, but shall not be less than six months nor to exceed two. years. Claims against estates of deceased persons must be presented to the Commissioner, to be appointed by the Court, within the time designated by the Court, or they will be barred.

MINNESOTA.-Twelve months are allowed to the executor or administrator to close an estate; however, the time may be extended by the Probate Court, not exceeding six months at any time.

MISSISSIPPI.-Non-resident creditors must present their claims within twenty-four months from the publication of notice requiring claims to be presented.

MISSOURI.-Claims must be presented within two years. Ex

ecutors or administrators must make annual settlements until estate is finally settled. No limitation is fixed for a final settlement of decedent's estate.

NEBRASKA. Claims must be presented for allowance within eighteen months in the first instance. Time may be extended for special reasons not exceeding three years and six months in all. Adm nistrators and executors liable to be cited to settle accounts

at any time for special reasons shown. Widow entitled to personal property of estate amounting to $250, to be selected by her, and further allowance of $200 in money, besides one year support of the family. Claims amounting to $1,000 or over may be prosecuted in District Court against executor, administrator, or against the state without presenting to the Probate Court. Licenses to sell real estate to pay debts must be obtained from District Court.

NEW HAMPSHIRE.-Estates of deceased persons are settled in the Probate Court. If there are debts of any amount, the es ate is usually decreed to be settled in the insolvent course—in which case a Commissioner is appointed, who has six months in which to receive and allow claims. All claims not presented to Commissioner and allowed by him are barred. Settlement in the insolvent course bars all suits against the executor or administrator.

NEW JERSEY.-Letters testamentary and of administration are granted by the Surrogates of the respective counties. Executors are not obliged to give security. Administrators are required to give bond, with two sufficient sureties, in amount double the value of the personal estate. Creditors are required to produce their claims within nine months from date of order granted by the Orphans' Court for that purpose. If not produced within that time, claims are barred, unless creditors find property of decedent not inventoried. The order limiting time for production of claims by creditors must be published by hand-bills and in newspapers.

NEW YORK.-Executors or administrators are allowed eighteen months, after probate of will and issuance of letters testamentary or letters of administration, to settle decedent's estate, and after that period may be cited to render an account to the Surroga'e, and upon such account rendered final settlement may be made. Claims should be proved against the estate within the eighteen months.

NORTH CAROLINA.-Reasonable time is allowed executors or administrators to settle estates of deceased persons, but they must not exceed two years.

OHIO.-Eighteen months are allowed an executor or adminis

trator to close estates of deceased persons. The law requires the executor or administrator to fix upon some term of the Court, within nine months from the time of his appointment, for the settling of all claims against such decedent, and to give notice thereof by publication at least six weeks previous to the said day.

OREGON. The laws relating to estates of decedents is similar to that of other States. Administration is granted: 1. To the widow or next of kin, or both. 2. To one or more of the principal creditors. 3. To any other competent person. They are entitled in the order named. The estate is applied to pay: 1, funeral charges; 2, taxes due the United States; 3, expenses of last sickness; 4, taxes due the State, county, or other corporation; 5, debts, preferred by the laws of the United States; 6, debts which at the death of the deceased were a lien upon his real property; 7, all other claims. A widow is entitled to dower of one-third part of all the lands whereof her husband was seized of an estate of inheritance during marriage. The husband is tenant by courtesy for life of the wife's real estate, upon her death without issue born.

PENNSYLVANIA.-Executor or administrator is allowed one year to close estate of decedent. Claims can be proved any time before the filing of the report of auditor appointed to adjust and settle the accounts of executor or administrator.

RHODE ISLAND.-One year is allowed an executor or administrator to close an estate, and claims must be presented within that period.

SOUTH CAROLINA.—Claims must be presented within twelve months.

TENNESSEE.-Actions against personal representatives of the decedent must be brought by residents of the State within two years and six months from the qualification of such representatives, and by non-residents within three years and six months, and the representative is bound to plead the statute if the action is not brought within this time. No action can be brought against such representative within six months from his qualification, and no execution can issue against him within twelve months therefrom. If the representative ask for delay, the time granted is not counted as part of the two years and six months, or three years and six months, as the case may be.

TEXAS. All claims against deceased persons, whether notes or accounts, must be proven by the affidavit of the owner. The affidavit must include the following: "That the claim is just, that nothing has been paid or delivered towards the satisfaction of such claim, except what is mentioned or credited (if any),

that there are no counter-claims known to affiant which have not been allowed (if any), and that the sum claimed is justly due." This affidavit (if made outside of the State of Texas) should be made before a commissioner of deeds for the State of Texas. If claims against an estate are not presented, duly authenticated under oath, and allowed by the administrator and approved by the Probate court within twelve months from the granting of letters of administration, they are postponed until others duly probated within that time are paid. If the administrator has been absent from the State during the twelve months, the time of his absence is not counted. In case of a trust deed duly executed, with power to sell, and which at com mon law, and in most of the States, is irrevocable on the death of the mortgagor, a different rule obtains in this State, owing to the statute law regulating estates of deceased persons. Trust deeds can be foreclosed without suit; mortgages must be foreclosed by suit. Therefore, deeds of trust are most common and preferable.

UTAH.-Estates of deceased persons are administered upon by the Probate court. Illegitimate children and their mothers inherit with legal wife in equal proportions.

VERMONT.-Commissioners are appointed by the Probate court to audit and allow claims against the estate of decedent, and upon their report the court decrees the amount to be paid upon the respective claims. Six months are allowed for the presentation of claims to the commissioners for allowance, and the time may be extended upon application to the Probate court for that purpose, and an appeal is allowed by either party from the decision of the commissioners to the County court for any sum not less than twenty dollars in amount.

VIRGINIA. Twelve months are allowed an executor or administrator to close an estate. Claims should be presented as soon as practicable after death of debtor. They will be received and passed upon any time before a distribution is made of the decedent's effects.

WEST VIRGINIA.-Executors or administrators are allowed twelve months to settle up decedent's estate, and claims must be presented within that time.

WISCONSIN. -Letters of administration may be granted to widow or next of kin, or both, as judge thinks proper, or such person as widow or next of kin may request to have appointed, if competent to discharge the trust. If widow or next of kin shall neglect for thirty days, after death, to apply for administration or to request that administration be granted to some other person, letters may be granted to one or more of the principal

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