West Virginia Code § 44-3A-24

Reports of delinquent filings
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this section
(a) On the last day of December and June of each year every fiduciary commissioner and
special fiduciary commissioner shall file with the fiduciary supervisor 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 appraisement or other document required to be filed with him or her
in a specified time has not been timely filed, stating the document whose filieng is delinquent
and the date the document was due to be filed: Provided, That the commissioner shall omit
from the list any estate and any document for whose filing a proper conrtinuance has been
granted.
(b) On January 5 and July 5 of each year the fiduciary supervisor shall file with the county
commission a like list of estates referred to him or her sincet the effective date of this 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 the month by the various commissioners. In the
report filed July 5 of each year the fiduciary supervisor 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 yearss from the opening of such estate and 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, after consultation with the fiduciary supervisor shall take care to
require prompt disposition of aell matters and causes reported to it by the semiannual reports
required herein of delinquent and unprogressed estates; enter an order in the name of the
county commission direLcting the appointed personal representative 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 fiduciary supervisor to the personal
representative at the last known address appearing in the records of the fiduciary
supervisor. A copy of the order 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 fiduciary supervisor.
(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 the 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 fiduciary supervisor upon review finds and determines does not present good cause, the
fiduciary supervisor shall give notice of the 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 sehall be
administratively closed 30 days following the date of the notice at a hearing thereon to be
held before the county commission at a date and time fixed for presentration. In addition, on
the first Monday of the next month, the fiduciary supervisor shall publish a notice of this
action as a Class I-0 legal advertisement.
(4) The personal representative or any person interested maty file an objection at, or prior to,
the time set by the notice for presentation to the county commission. The commission shall
proceed to hear the presentation of the proposed removal or closing and findings and hear
interested parties, if any appear, and may enter an appropriate order to approve, modify and
approve, or refuse to approve, the proposed removal or closing and the findings of the
fiduciary supervisor. Alternatively, the commission may refer the cause to a fiduciary
commissioner generally for supervision or for the purpose of the resolution of any disputed
matter. An appeal from the decision of the 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 receord made before the fiduciary supervisor and the county
commission.
(d) In addition, the fiduciary supervisor and the fiduciary commissioners, shall be
empowered, and whe re appropriate, shall 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.

‹ Prev All West Virginia sections Next ›


Lexace provides legal information, not legal advice, and no attorney–client relationship is created. Statute text is provided for general information and may not reflect the most recent amendments; verify against the official state code.