Sec. 1. (a) Domiciliary letters testamentary or domiciliary letters of general administration may be granted to one (1) or more of the persons mentioned in this subsection, natural or corporate, who are not disqualified, in the following order:

(1) To the executor or executors designated in a will that has been admitted to probate.

(2) To a surviving spouse who is a devisee in a will that has been admitted to probate.

(3) To a devisee in a will that has been admitted to probate.

(4) To the surviving spouse, or to the person or persons nominated by the surviving spouse or to the surviving spouse and the person or persons nominated by the surviving spouse.

(5) To:

(A) an heir;

(B) the person or persons nominated by an heir; or

(C) an heir and the person or persons nominated by an heir.

(6) If there is not a person listed in subdivisions (1) through (5), then to any other qualified person.

(b) No person is qualified to serve as a domiciliary personal representative who is:

(1) under eighteen (18) years of age;

(2) incapacitated unless the incapacity is caused only by:

(A) physical illness;

(B) physical impairment; or

(C) physical infirmity;

(3) a convicted felon, either under the laws of the United States or of any state or territory of the United States;

(4) a resident corporation not authorized to act as a fiduciary in this state; or

(5) a person whom the court finds unsuitable.

(c) A nonresident individual or corporate fiduciary may qualify and serve as a joint personal representative with a resident personal representative only by:

(1) filing with the court that has jurisdiction of the administration of the decedent's estate a bond in an amount:

(A) not less than:

(i) the probable value of the estate's personal property; plus

(ii) the estimated rents and profits to be derived from the property in the estate during the probate period; and

(B) not greater than the probable gross value of the estate; and

(2) otherwise meeting the qualifications of subsection (b).

(d) A nonresident individual who otherwise qualifies under subsection (b) may qualify to serve as a personal representative in Indiana only by filing with the court that has jurisdiction of the administration of the decedent's estate:

(1) notice in writing of the individual's acceptance of the appointment as personal representative;

(2) notice of the appointment of a resident agent to accept service of process, notices, and other documents; and

(3) a bond in an amount:

(A) not less than:

(i) the probable value of the estate's personal property; plus

(ii) the estimated rents and profits to be derived from the property in the estate during the probate period; and

(B) not greater than the probable gross value of the estate.

(e) If a personal representative becomes a nonresident of this state, the representative remains qualified to serve only if the representative files with the court that has jurisdiction of the administration of the estate a bond in an amount:

(1) not less than:

(A) the probable value of the estate's personal property; plus

(B) the estimated rents and profits to be derived from the property in the estate during the probate period; and

(2) not greater than the probable gross value of the estate.

(f) A nonresident individual who satisfies the conditions of subsection (d) or (e) submits personally to the jurisdiction of the court in any proceeding that relates to the estate of the decedent.

Formerly: Acts 1953, c.112, s.1001; Acts 1973, P.L.287, SEC.5; Acts 1975, P.L.289, SEC.2. As amended by Acts 1982, P.L.173, SEC.1; P.L.33-1989, SEC.39; P.L.118-1997, SEC.19.