§ 58-677. Petition by nonresident - Contents - Hearing - Objections.

A.  Title to Oklahoma property owned by a nonresident may be passed by the filing of a petition having attached thereto a duly certified copy of the last will and testament, an order admitting the will to probate and an order distributing the estate from the domiciliary probate proceeding, or if the decedent died intestate, by attaching a duly certified copy of the order appointing the personal representative and an order distributing estate from the domiciliary estate.

B.  The petition shall contain:

1.  The jurisdictional facts;

2.  A statement whether the person named as personal representative consents to act, or renounces his right to letters, or if it is even necessary for a personal representative to be appointed;

3.  If necessary, a statement stating that if the domiciliary personal representative renounces his right to act, the personal representative may waive such right in favor of a resident of the State of Oklahoma;

4.  The names, ages and residences of all the heirs, legatees and devisees of the decedent so far as known to the petitioner, including the heirs, legatees and devisees named in the last will and testament or determined in the order determining heirs issued in the domiciliary estate;

5.  The description, probable value and character of the property, subject to the jurisdiction of the Oklahoma probate court;

6.  The name and address of the person for whom letters are prayed; and

7.  An affidavit from the domiciliary personal representative that notice to all creditors, including Oklahoma creditors, known or reasonably ascertainable, has been given as required by the domiciliary state.  Provided, however, if the domiciliary state lacks a procedure for giving notice by mail to Oklahoma creditors, known or reasonably ascertainable, then notice to such creditors shall be given pursuant to Sections 331, 331.1, 331.2, 332, 333, 334, 335, 337, 338 and 351 of this title or there shall be filed an affidavit by the domiciliary personal representative that there is no Oklahoma creditor known to or reasonably ascertainable by the domiciliary personal representative.  For purposes of this section, the definitions contained in subsection A of Section 331.1 of this title shall apply.

C.  The petition shall be in writing and signed by the applicant or his counsel.

D.  Upon the filing of the petition, the court shall issue an order setting the matter for hearing not less than twenty (20) days thereafter, requiring publication of a notice one time, not less than twenty (20) days prior to the date of hearing.  Notice of hearing shall be mailed to all devisees, legatees and heirs at law, including those named in the last will and testament or in the order determining heirs, not less than twenty (20) days prior to the date of such hearing.  If there are devisees, legatees or heirs at law for which an address is not known, publication of the notice of hearing shall constitute notice to such persons or entities.

E.  If an interested party or creditor does not file a written objection to the entry of an order distributing Oklahoma property, in accordance with the documents from the domiciliary estate attached to the petition, on or before the hearing date, the court shall enter an order distributing the Oklahoma property in accordance with the last will and testament of the decedent, and if the decedent died intestate, in accordance with the laws of intestate succession of this state.

F.  If a written objection is filed by an interested party or creditor, at the hearing on the petition, the court shall determine if such objection has merit.  If the court so determines, a personal representative shall be appointed and the proceeding shall be conducted in accordance with this title.  If the objection filed by an interested party is withdrawn at the hearing on the petition, or if the court finds and adjudicates that such objection has no merit, the court shall enter an order distributing the Oklahoma property in accordance with the provisions hereinbefore set forth, and in that event, such order shall be appealable to the Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma in the same manner as other final orders.

G.  The court shall not be required to hold a hearing on any written objection on the date the petition is set for hearing, but may set the matter for hearing at a later date, and shall, if requested by the objecting party, set the matter for hearing at a later date.  If the objection is set for hearing at a later date, the hearing shall be held within thirty (30) days after the date the hearing on the petition was originally set, unless the court finds that such hearing shall be further delayed for good cause.

H.  If the court, upon hearing objection to the petition, finds and determines that the objection has merit, the court shall appoint a personal representative and the estate shall be conducted in accordance with the law as it applies to probate of an estate of a resident of the State of Oklahoma.

I.  If the domiciliary probate proceeding has not been concluded, the petition as described in this section may be filed without having attached thereto a duly certified copy of the order distributing estate and determining heirs.  In such event:

1.  At the hearing on the petition the court may appoint a personal representative for the estate to administer it in accordance with the law as it applies to estates of Oklahoma residents; or

2.  The court may enter an order finding that the petitioner has requested no action be taken in the proceeding until the domiciliary estate is closed and a duly certified copy of the order distributing estate and determining heirs is filed in the proceeding.  Upon the order being filed, the court shall set the matter for hearing for the purpose of entering an order distributing Oklahoma property, which hearing shall be held not less than twenty (20) days after the date of the order.  Notice of the hearing shall be mailed to all of the devisees, legatees and heirs at law as named in the last will and testament and determining heirs as entered in the domiciliary proceeding, and, if the address of any of the devisees, legatees or heirs is unknown, the order for hearing shall be published not less than twenty (20) days prior to the date of the hearing.

J.  If an interested party or creditor files a written objection, the written objection shall be heard and acted upon as set forth in this section.

Laws 1980, c. 310, § 5, eff. Oct. 1, 1980; Laws 1989, c. 276, § 6, eff. Nov. 1, 1989; Laws 1993, c. 345, § 10, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.