COVID-19 Probate Division Operations

The District of Columbia Superior Court - Probate Division is operating remotely and remains closed for in person filings, until further notice.

Hearings: All hearings are held remotely, until further notice.

General Filing Guidelines: All filings must include email and telephone contact information for the filer and/or attorney.

Filings that require notarization – If a notary is not available, the notary statement may be replaced with the following certification followed by the filer’s signature: “I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing statements are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information and belief. Executed on _______________________, 20__.”

Forms – are available at https://www.dccourts.gov/services/forms.

Online Forms assistance is also available at https://www.probono.net/dccourts/.

Methods of Payments – Court costs and fees may be paid by check, money order or certified funds. If made by check, a copy of the driver’s license or state-issued ID card of a person authorized to sign on the account must accompany the check. All checks must be made payable to the Register of Wills. DO NOT SEND CASH. Please contact probateinquries@dcsc.gov for further information regarding payment options.

Filing Procedures for Intervention Proceeding (Guardianships):

Email – Emailing is for INT/IDD emergency pleadings with NO case numbers. The following pleadings may be emailed to the Division for filing:

▪ 21-day Emergency Guardian Petition should be emailed to the Probate Clerk’s Office for case initiation using the following address: ProbateEmergencyFilings@dcsc.gov.

▪ 90-day Health-Care Guardian Petition and/or Petitions for General Proceeding (Guardian/Conservatorship) should be emailed to the Probate Clerk’s Office for case initiation using the following address: ProbateFilings@dcsc.gov.

Note: 90 day and General Petitions must be submitted as separate PDFs.

Emails for new INT/IDD filings must include:

1. Subject line should include the subject’s name and type of INT/IDD filing. Example: Jane Doe – 21-day Emergency Guardian.

2. If a notary is not available, the notary statement may be replaced with the following certification followed by the filer’s signature: “I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing statements are true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information and belief. Executed on _______________________, 20__.”

3. E-signature is acceptable.

4. The emailed documents should include the completed petition, medical information, (report of examiner, certifications of incapacity, etc.) and email addresses and telephone numbers for all parties.

o Moultrie Dropbox – at 500 Indiana Ave, NW Washington DC 20001. Place in a sealed envelope and date the outside of the envelope using the stamp machine. Petitions for General Proceeding non-emergency with case number only.

o Telephone

– Filers without an attorney or access to internet

– Self Represented filers with no access to email or the internet may only file a 21-day emergency guardian petition by:

▪ Calling the Probate Emergency Filing Telephone Line: 202-879-9436 and leave a message with the following information:

• Name of person (subject) in need of temporary guardian to make healthcare decision

• Nature of emergency – what decision needs to be made • Location of subject, e.g., name of hospital, home address

• Caller’s name, including spelling

• Phone number – for return call

• Email address – alternative contact info

Filing Procedures for ALL OTHER FILINGS:

• New Initial Filings (with no case number) – Large Decedent’s Estates (ADM), Small Estates (SEB)*, Wills (WIL)* Foreign Estates (FEP), Trusts (TRP), Notice of Revocable Trusts (NRT), Disclaimers (DISCL), Probate Litigation (LIT), Guardianship of Minor’s Estates (GDN)* *Additional information for these filings below.

o New cases in the above case types may be filed in one of two ways:

▪ Mailing – D.C. Superior Court Probate Division, 515 5th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001. Please send by USPS (United States Postal Service) trackable mail- certified, priority, express. Because the Building A is closed to the public, commercial delivery such as FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc. cannot be delivered to this address.

▪ Moultrie Dropbox – located at 500 Indiana Ave, NW Washington DC 20001. Place in a sealed envelope and date the outside of the envelop using the stamp machine.

• Subsequent filings (with a case number) – Guardian/Conservator filings (INT/IDD cases), Decedent’s Estates (ADM), Small Estates (SEB), Foreign Estates (FEP), Trusts (TRP), Notice of Revocable Trusts (NRT), Disclaimers (DISCL), Probate Litigation (LIT), Guardianship of Minor’s Estates (GDN): o Filings with a cases number – e.g. petitions, motions, inventories, accounts, reports, affidavits, etc. may be filed in one of three ways:

▪ eFiling – https://www.dccourts.gov/superior-court/e-filing. Unless the case is sealed – Attorneys are required to eFile. Note: This includes triple seal requests.

▪ Mailing – D.C. Superior Court Probate Division, 515 5th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001. Attn: Probate Clerk’s Office. Please send by USPS (United States Postal Service) trackable mail- certified, priority, express. Because the Building A is closed to the public, commercial delivery such as FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc. cannot be delivered to this address.

▪ Moultrie Dropbox – located at 500 Indiana Ave, NW Washington DC 20001. Place in a sealed envelope and date the outside of the envelop using the stamp machine. *Additional information for Wills,

Small Estates and Guardianship of Minors filings:

• Wills (WIL) – Original wills with a completed certificate of will filing may be filed by USPS (trackable mail) or Moultrie Dropbox. Include your phone number and/or email address on the certificate of will filing. If you are filing a petition for probate it is best to submit the will and petition together. Do not submit photocopies of decedent’s wills if you are in possession of the original will. No action can be taken on a petition for abbreviated probate seeking admission of a will unless an original will has been filed.

• Small Estate Petitions (SEB) – Self represented filers may access the small estate guided interview at https://www.probono.net/dccourts/.

• Bonds – Copies of executed and sealed bonds may be emailed to the Probate Division directly from the bond company. If the filer wishes to email file a bond, arrangements must be made with the bond company by the filer. Original bonds may also be sent directly to the Division by the filer via USPS (trackable mail) or Moultrie Dropbox. Please include case name and number, if applicable.

• Guardianship of Minors Filings – Interviews of Minors and Admonishments administered virtually. Please provide telephone number and email address with the petition for appointment. Clerk’s Office Requests:

o Archives Requests are suspended until further notice and will not be processed until the Division (and the National Archives) returns to normal operations.

o Copy Requests, Certified Copies and Triple Seals – are available on a limited basis. No bulk copies or multiple case copies or expedited requests are available at this time.

Contacting the Probate Division

• Email/Internet (responses within 24-72 hours)

o General Inquires

▪ Probateinquiries@dcsc.gov – General probate procedure questions or inquiries.

▪ Livechat (extended hours/real-time responses) at https://www.dccourts.gov/services/probate-matters

o Branch Specific Inquiries

▪ GuardianshipAssistanceProgram@dcsc.gov – Guardianship specific questions and inquiries.

▪ AuditingBranchCenter@dcsc.gov – Duty Auditor inquiries involving accounts, inventories and fee petitions.

▪ SmallEstates@dcsc.gov – Questions about small estates, preliminary orders, asset verification or publication.

▪ ProbateLegalBranch@dcsc.gov – Duty ADROW inquiries involving bonds, rejections and processing status

▪ ProbateBonds@dcsc.gov – Bond companies only

• Telephone – Please leave a message for a call back during court hours 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. o (202) 879-9460 and (202) 879-9461

o leave a message with the following information:

▪ Caller’s name, including spelling

▪ Phone number

▪ Email address (optional)

▪ Nature of inquiry – decedent’s estate, guardianship, filing procedures, case status, etc. case name, case number, if applicable

▪ The best time to call. (Probate staff are working remotely – calls from the court may be returned from a blocked number.)