New York Consolidated Laws, Surrogate's Court Procedure Act - SCP § 1418. Letters of administration with will annexed;  when and to whom granted

1. If no person is named as executor in the will or selected by virtue of a power contained therein or if at any time there is no executor or administrator with will annexed qualified to act, upon the application of any person who may petition for the probate of the will under 1402 the court must issue letters of administration with will annexed in the following order of priority:

2. If there is no eligible person entitled to letters under the foregoing subdivision who will accept or an appointment is not made by consent as provided in subdivision 6, letters shall issue to the public administrator or, if there be none for the county, to the treasurer of the county.

3. If none of the persons mentioned in subdivisions 1 and 2 will accept letters the court may issue them to the petitioner or upon petitioner's refusal to accept the same to any person designated by the court.

4. A corporation incorporated within the territorial limits of the United States which is a sole or residuary legatee may act as administrator with will annexed although not specifically so authorized by its charter or by any provision of law.

5. If any person otherwise entitled to letters under subdivision 1 is an infant, incompetent or conservatee the court may issue letters with will annexed to the guardian of the property of the infant, the committee of the property of the incompetent, or the conservator of the property of the conservatee with the same priority as if the infant, incompetent or conservatee had himself been eligible to take letters.

6. Administration may be granted to an eligible person or persons not entitled as beneficiaries upon the acknowledged and filed consent of all of the beneficiaries, provided all the beneficiaries are themselves eligible.  The guardian of the property of an infant beneficiary, the committee of the property of an incompetent beneficiary or the conservator of the property of a conservatee beneficiary may so consent.

7. Administration may be granted to a trust company or other corporation authorized to act as fiduciary upon the acknowledged and filed consents of all the beneficiaries inclusive of those who may be non-domiciliary aliens, provided that all such beneficiaries are otherwise eligible. The guardian of the property of an infant beneficiary, the committee of the property of an incompetent beneficiary, or the conservator of the property of a conservatee beneficiary appointed within the state, may so consent.

8. The court may refuse to issue letters of administration with will annexed where distribution of the estate is possible pursuant to the provisions of this act.