HARRY HUGHES, Governor                                     3205

BEEN FILED WITH THE CLERK OF THE COURT OF THE COUNTY, AND A
SUMMARY OF THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN AT LEAST ONE
NEWSPAPER OF GENERAL CIRCULATION IN THE COUNTY.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall
take effect July 1, 1984.

Approved May 29, 1984.

CHAPTER 657

(House Bill 884)

AN ACT concerning

Petitions for Probate - Joinder and Consent Requirements

FOR the purpose of altering the class of persons who must join in
the petition for probate or consent to the grant of letters
to the petitioner in order to make these requirements
consistent with the power of the court or register to grant
such letters.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article - Estates and Trusts
Section 5-205(b)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1974 Volume and 1983 Supplement)

Preamble

WHEREAS, Under § 5-106(a) of the Estates and Trusts Article,
except with regard to executors named in the will, the court or
register may grant letters to one or more of several eligible
persons in a class entitled to letters without the consent of the
other members of the class being required; and

WHEREAS, Under § 5-106(b) of the Estates and Trusts Article,
within classes (2) through (9) of § 5-104, the court or register
may grant letters to two or more persons in different classes if
the person or class first entitled to letters consents without
the consent of members of classes with a lower priority being
required; and

WHEREAS, Under § 5-205(b) of the same Article, if a petition
for probate of the estate of an intestate decedent requests the
grant of letters to the petitioner, all persons entitled to
administer the estate must either join in the petition or consent
in writing to the grant without regard to their priority relative
to the petitioner under § 5-104; and