§ 1116 Application for letters; when court may direct probate 1

If you have a will filed with the court, the public administrator can step in and ask to be given legal authority to handle the estate. This person is a court-appointed official who manages estates when there's a need for someone to take charge of the process.

The court also has the power to order the public administrator to formally start the probate process for a will. This means that even if no one else has taken action to move the will through probate, the court can direct the public administrator to file the necessary paperwork and get the process moving. This helps make sure that wills don't just sit around without being handled, especially in cases where family members or other interested parties haven't stepped up to manage the estate.

In short, this rule gives the court a way to make sure estates get handled properly by allowing the public administrator to take charge when needed, either by applying for authority on their own or by being directed by the court to start probate proceedings.