West Virginia Code § 44-2-19a

Reports of delinquent filings and administrative closing of unprogressed
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estates.
(a) On the last day of December and June of each year every fiduciary commissioner shall file
with the county clerk a list of all estates referred to him or her since the effective date of this
section, either generally or for a limited purpose, in which any document required to be filed
with him or her in a specified time has not been timely filed, stating the doceument whose
filing is delinquent and the date the same was due to be filed: Provided, That the
commissioner shall omit from such list any estate and any document forr whose filing a
proper continuance has been granted.
(b) On January 5 and July 5 of each year the county clerk shall file with the county
commission a like list of estates since the effective date of thtis section in which the filing of
any paper is delinquent, and embrace therein the lists required to be filed with him or her on
the first day of such month by the various commissioners. In the report filed July 5 of each
year the county clerk shall further include in the report a list of all estates referred to him or
her since the effective date of this section which have not been duly closed within a period of
three years from the opening of such estate ansd in which no progress, or in his or her
opinion, unsatisfactory progress, has been made toward settlement, for any cause, within the
preceding 12 months.
(c) The county commission shall, upon the presentation by the county clerk of all matters
and causes reported to it by thee semiannual reports required herein of delinquent and
unprogressed estates, enter an order in the name of the county commission directing the
appointed personal reprLesentative to file a statement to show cause why the county
commission should not find the personal representative delinquent in his or her
administration of the respective estate and should not remove the personal representative
from office, administratively close the estate, or take such other action against the personal
representative as may be proper:
(1) WThe order to show cause shall be mailed by the county clerk to the personal
representative at the last known address appearing in the records of the county clerk and a
copy thereof shall also be mailed to the heirs at law, beneficiaries under the will, any
creditors who have filed claims which are not released, any surety on any bond, and any
other person interested in the estate at their last known addresses appearing in the records
of the county clerk.
(2) The personal representative shall have 30 days after the mailing of the order to show
cause to file properly any delinquent documents required for the administration of the estate
or to file a verified statement under oath stating why he or she should not be found
delinquent in the administration of the respective estate and should not be removed from
office or the estate administratively closed.
(3) If within such 30-day time period the personal representative fails to file properly the
delinquent documents or fails to file a verified statement or files a verified statement which
the county clerk upon review finds and determines does not present good cause, the county
clerk shall give notice of such failure, delinquency, or finding to the county commission, the
personal representative, the heirs at law, beneficiaries under the will, any creditors who
have filed claims which are not released, any surety on any bond, and any other person
interested in the estate and shall advise that the personal representative shall be removed
from office and such other appropriate person appointed as personal representative as the
county commission may determine or that the estate shall be administrativeely closed 30 days
following the date of such notice at a hearing thereon to be held before the county
commission at a date and time fixed for presentation. In addition, on thre first Monday of the
next month, the county clerk shall publish as a Class I-0 legal advertisement, a notice
thereof.
(4) The personal representative or any person interested maty file objection thereto at or
prior to the time set by such notice for presentation thereof to the county commission. The
commission shall proceed to hear the presentation of such proposed removal or closing and
findings and hear interested parties, if any appear, and may enter such appropriate order to
approve, modify and approve, or refuse to approve such proposed removal or closing and the
findings of the county clerk. An appeal from the decision of such county commission may,
without any formal bill of exceptions, be taken to the circuit court of the county by the
personal representative or any interested party. The appeal shall be tried and heard in the
circuit court, or before the judge thereof in vacation, on the record made before the county
clerk and the county commission.
(d) In addition, the county clerk and the fiduciary commissioners, shall be empowered, and
where appropriate, mayL, on their own motion, petition the circuit court to compel
compliance with the provisions of this chapter, in the same manner and to the same extent
heretofore provided in the case of commissioners of accounts, or by any other proper
proceeding.

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