The Oklahoma Summary Probate process explained in vibrant, colorful imagery

Court Street, Keene, NH

Sometimes, when someone passes away, Oklahoma probate is unavoidable (read about why in this post).  When you are forced to go through the Oklahoma probate process, what are the options for getting done quicker?

If your estate is small, you may be able to short-circuit the process by using Oklahoma summary probate.

Definition

Summary probate is a shorter, quicker version of a full-blown probate. Rather than there being two hearings in front of the Judge, there is only one hearing, at the end of the process. To give you an idea of what to expect, below is a visualization of the Oklahoma summary probate process.

Visualized

Summary Probate

Qualification

To qualify for summary probate (technically referred to as “summary administration”), the estate must meet one of the following criteria:

1. The value of the estate is less than or equal to $175,000.00;
2. The decedent has been deceased for more than five (5) years; or
3. The decedent resided In another jurisdiction at the time of death.

If you have any questions about whether an estate qualifies for Oklahoma summary probate even about Oklahoma probate, send me an email (sjr@shawnjroberts.com).

 


Posted by Shawn Roberts

On this blog, I write about and try to answer practical Oklahoma legal questions. My focus and most experience is in estate planning and business issues including Oklahoma non-compete law. I make a living as an attorney in the law firm I founded, Shawn J. Roberts, P.C. in Oklahoma City. I live in Edmond with my wife Amy and my two children, Sam (19) and David (11). We live precisely in the path of where the "wind comes sweeping down the plains."