Glossary of Terms

Terms

Administrator: a person legally vested with the right of administration of an estate
Certificate: a document containing a certified statement especially as to the truth of something; specifically
Codicil: a legal instrument made to modify an earlier will
Decedent: a deceased person - used chiefly in law
Estate: the degree, quality, nature, and extent of one's interest in land or other property; possessions, property; especially: a person's real property; the assets and liabilities left by a person at death
Executor: the person appointed by a testator to execute a will
Inter vivos trust: living trust
Intestate: having made no valid will
License: a permission granted by competent authority to engage in a business or occupation or in an activity otherwise unlawful
Lineal descendants: someone who is directly related to a person who lived in the past; son, daughter, grandchild
Living trust: a trust that becomes effective during the lifetime of the settlor -called also inter vivos trust
Personal Representative: Person named in a will (Executor/ Executrix) or appointed by the Register (Administrator/Administratrix) to administer an estate.
Plenary: complete in every respect: absolute, unqualified
Probate: the action or process of proving before a competent judicial authority that a document offered for official recognition and registration as the last will and testament of a deceased person is genuine
Property: something owned or possessed; specifically: a piece of real estate; the exclusive rights to possess, enjoy, and dispose of a thing: ownership; something to which a person or business has a legal title; one (as a performer) who is under contract and whose work is especially valuable
Settlor: one that makes a settlement or creates a trust of property
Testate: having left a valid will
Testament: an act by which a person determines the disposition of his or her property after death
Testator/testatrix: a person who dies leaving a will or testament in force
Trust: a property interest held by one person for the benefit of another
Will: a written instrument legally executed by which a person makes disposition of his or her estate to take effect after death

Source

The definitions provided for the terms on this page were drawn from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary on April 23, 2012.

Contact Us

Linda Bobrin, Esq.

Register of Wills & Clerk of the Orphans' Court
Register of Wills

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Physical Address
55 E Court Street
6th Floor
Doylestown, PA 18901

55 E Court Street 6th Floor Doylestown PA 18901

Directions

Phone: 215-348-6265

Fax: 215-348-6156
Orphans' Court Contact
Email the Clerk of Orphans' Court

Hours
The Register of Wills/Clerk of the Orphans’ Court is open to the public from 8:00am until 4:15pm. Both virtual and in-person appointments are conducted. Please call 215-348-6254 or 215-348-6264 to schedule an appointment.
The office will be open extended hours until 7:30pm on the 1^st and 3^rd Wednesday of the month for virtual appointments.

Appointment Considerations
- Before seeking an appointment, we ask the bar and public to seriously consider whether the specific matter at issue would be considered exigent circumstances by an objective observer
- All visitors, including members of the bar with passes allowing access to the Administration Building, are asked to check in with the security officers
- For more information, please view the Message to the Bar (PDF) from the Register/Clerk
Disclaimer
All information on this webpage is to inform and not to advise. It is based upon Pennsylvania law. The statements are general, and individual facts in a given case may alter their application or involve other laws not referred to here.

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