Legal Question in Wills and Trusts in Pennsylvania

You need a short certificate to act on behalf of your mother's estate. You get a short certificate by probating the will at the Office of the Register of Wills in the county where she resided. What probate accomplishes is that the Register of Wills checks the will against standards that it must satisfy in order to become effective, and then the Register issues Letters to the executor or administrator, also known as the personal representative of the estate, authorizing that personal to act on behalf of the estate. The "short certificates" are original certificates from the Office of the Register of Wills stating that Letters have been issued to the personal representative.

Just showing a will to someone doesn't mean anything: there may be other newer wills, or the will may not be valid for a number of reasons. The person or company to whom you are showing the will has no way of knowing that you have been officially qualified and authorized to do anything.

THIS RESPONSE IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE, SINCE I DO NOT HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED, AND I DO NOT HAVE A REPRESENTATION AGREEMENT WITH YOU.

* If the answers to your question confirm that you have a valid issue or worthwhile claim, your next step should almost always be to establish a dialog with a lawyer who can provide specific advice to you. Contact a lawyer in your county or township.

* Another reason for contacting a lawyer is that it is often impossible to give a good answer in the Internet Q&A format without having more information. The unique circumstances of your situation and things that you may not have thought to mention in your question may completely change the answer. If you want to be sure that you have a complete answer to your question and an understanding of what that answer means, establish a connection with a lawyer who practices in the area of your concern.