Montana Title 72. Estates, Trusts, and Fiduciary Relationships § 72-3-213. Rules for grant or denial of informal probate

(1) A will that appears to have the required signatures and that contains an attestation clause showing that requirements of execution under 72-2-522 or 72-2-526 have been met must be probated without further proof. In other cases the clerk may assume execution if the will appears to be properly executed or may accept a sworn statement or affidavit of any person having knowledge of the circumstances of execution, whether or not the person was a witness to the will.

(2) The application must be denied if it indicates that a personal representative has been appointed in another county of this state or, except as provided in subsection (3), if it appears that this or another will of the decedent has been the subject of a previous probate order.

(3) Informal probate of a will that has been previously probated elsewhere may be granted at any time upon written application by any interested person, together with deposit of an authenticated copy of the will and of the statement probating it from the office or court where it was first probated.

(4) A will from a place that does not provide for probate of a will after death and that is not eligible for probate under 72-3-212 may be probated in this state upon receipt by the clerk of a duly authenticated copy of the will and a duly authenticated certificate of its legal custodian that the copy filed is a true copy and that the will has become operative under the law of the other place.

(5) Application for informal probate that relates to one or more of a known series of testamentary instruments (other than a will and one or more codicils to the will), the latest of which does not expressly revoke the earlier, must be declined.