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== Getting Started in Probate Records<br> == | == Getting Started in Probate Records<br> == | ||
Probate is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his/her heirs. Church of England ecclesiatical courts Probates were Beginning in 1858, authority over probate matters was taken from the ecclesiastical courts of the Church of England and given to the civil government probate authority and vested in the Principal Probate Registry system. For more information, scroll to the Post-1857 Probate Records section at the bottom of this page. | |||
In order to find a probate record for your ancestor, you must answer two questions: | |||
#When did your ancestor die? | |||
#Where did your ancestor live or own property?<br> | |||
Once you have answered the two questions, determined the courts that had jurisdiction over the places. It's important to start you search by look for indexes. Click the links in the Post-1857 section at the end of this article to find the Family History Library films containing the indexes. Indexes will be found on the individual court pages (when you click on a court name) or in the Probate Indexes section below. | |||
If your ancestor died before 1858, his/her probate would have been proven by an ecclesiatical court and it is important to know where he/she lived, as that will determine which courts had jurisdiction. To locate which court, see the Court Jurisdictions section below to determine which courts had jurisdiction over your ancestor's place of residence.<br> | |||
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== Westmorland Probate Courts == | == Westmorland Probate Courts == | ||