Supreme Court (Administration and Probate) Rules 2023

Supreme Court (Administration and Probate) Rules 2023

This is a set of procedural rules governing how the Supreme Court of Victoria handles matters related to:

• Administration of estates (managing the assets and debts of someone who has died without a will, or whose will doesn't cover everything)
• Probate (the legal process of officially recognising a will as valid and authorising someone to carry out its instructions)

Who does this affect?

• People who have lost a loved one and need to deal with their estate
• Executors (people named in a will to carry it out) and administrators (people appointed by the court when there's no valid will)
• Lawyers handling deceased estate matters
• Anyone applying to the Supreme Court for grants of probate or letters of administration

What does it do?

It sets out the step-by-step procedures courts and parties must follow when dealing with deceased estates — things like how to file documents, what forms to use, deadlines to meet, and how to handle disputes about wills or estates.

Why does it matter?

If you're dealing with a deceased person's estate through the Supreme Court, these rules determine exactly how you must do it. Getting the procedure wrong can delay or derail the process, potentially freezing assets and causing financial hardship for beneficiaries.