| Decedent |
Individual who has died |
| Testator |
Person who makes a will |
| Legatee/beneficiary |
One named in will to inherit part of estate |
| Testate |
Having made a legally valid will before death |
| Intestate |
Having made no will |
| Personal representative |
Executor or Administrator in charge of settling an estate |
| Administrator |
Person appointed by the court to act as personal representative |
| Administrator cta |
Person appointed by the court to act as personal representative for a
decedent who dies testate, but who did not name an executor in his will (cta - cum
testamento annexo) |
| Administrator dbncta |
Person appointed by the court to act in case the executor or an original
admininstrator has died or is unable to serve for some reason (dbn - de bonus non) |
| Probate |
To prove, a will is probated, or proved to be what it says it is |
| Witness |
Person who saw the testator sign the will, and makes an affidavit to this |
| Letters Testamentary |
Order of the Probate officer granting authority to an executor which
permits him to act in settling an estate |
| Letters of Administration |
Ordr of the Probate officer granting authority to an administrator, which
permits him to act in settling an estate |
| Codicil |
An addition or change to a will made at a later date |
| Nuncupative Will |
An oral will, not very comman, sometimes used on battlefield |
| Holographic Will |
Will written by hand by the testator |
| Docket |
Record of the court |
| Abstract |
Summary of contents of a will or deed |
| Orphans Court |
Title of the court in Pennsylvania which has jurisdiction over estates.
In other states it might be known as Probate Court, Surrogates Court, or by some
other term. Orphans Court is a division of Common Pleas Court |
| Renunciation |
Giving up the right to serve as executor or administrator |
| Court of Chancery |
Court of Equity (rather than a court based on common law) |
