Personal Representatives for Decedents

Division 7, Part 1, Chapter 4, Article 2 of the Probate Code deals with the appointment of personal representatives for the administration of estates of decedents in this state.

Section 7620 requires the public administrator of the county in which the estate of a decedent may be administered to promptly engage in four specified actions.

Section 7621 requires the appointment of the public administrator as personal representative to be made, and letters issued, in the same manner and pursuant to the same procedure as for appointment of and issuance of letters to personal representatives generally.

Section 7622 requires the public administrator to administer the estate in the same manner as a personal representative generally, and the provisions of this code concerning the administration of the decedent’s estate apply to administration by the public administrator. The public administrator is entitled to receive the same compensation as is granted by this division to a personal representative generally.

Section 7623 defines the term “additional compensation.” The public administrator may be awarded additional compensation if any of the two specified conditions are satisfied.

Article 3 deals with deposit of money of estate. Section 7640 requires the public administrator to deposit all money of the estate in an insured account in a financial institution or with the county treasurer of the county in which the proceedings are pending.

Section 7641 provides that money deposited in a financial institution or with the county treasurer under this article may be withdrawn upon the order of the public administrator when required for the purposes of administration.

Section 7642 requires the public administrator to credit each estate with the highest rate of interest or dividends that the estate would have received if the funds available for deposit had been individually and separately deposited.

Section 7643 requires the county treasurer to receive and safely keep all money deposited with the county treasurer under this chapter and pay the money out on the order of the public administrator when required for the purposes of administration. The county treasurer and sureties on the official bond of the county treasurer are responsible for the safekeeping and payment of the money.

Section 7644 provides that, if a deposit in a financial institution is made under this article, money remaining unclaimed at the expiration of five years after the date of the deposit, together with the increase and proceeds of the deposit, is to be presumed abandoned in any of the specified circumstances.