112.02 Suspension of powers of fiduciaries engaged in war service.

(1m) In this section, “fiduciary" means a personal representative, guardian, or testamentary trustee.

(2) In this section a fiduciary shall be considered to be engaged in war service in any of the following cases:

(a) If the fiduciary is a member of the military or naval forces of the United States or of any of its allies or if the fiduciary has been accepted for such service and is awaiting induction into such service.

(b) If the fiduciary is engaged in any work abroad in connection with a governmental agency of the United States or in connection with the American Red Cross society or any other body with similar objects.

(c) If the fiduciary is interned in an enemy country or is in a foreign country or a possession or dependency of the United States and is unable to return to this state.

(2m) Whenever a fiduciary is engaged in war service, the fiduciary, or any other person interested in the estate or fund for which the fiduciary is acting, may present a petition to the court having jurisdiction praying for a decree suspending the powers of the fiduciary while the fiduciary is engaged in war service and until the further order of the court. If the suspension of the fiduciary will leave no person acting as fiduciary, or will leave the sole beneficiary of a trust as the only acting trustee of the trust, the petition must pray for the appointment of a successor unless a successor has been named in the will and the named successor is not engaged in war service or is not for other reasons unable or unwilling to act as a fiduciary.

(3) Where the application is made by a fiduciary engaged in war service notice shall be given to such persons and in such manner as the presiding judge may direct. Where the application is made by any other person interested in the estate or fund and the fiduciary is in the military or naval service of the United States notice shall be given to such fiduciary in such manner as the judge may direct. In every other case where the application is made by a person other than the fiduciary notice thereof shall be given to such persons and in such manner as the judge may direct.

(4) Upon the filing of the petition and the proof of service of the notice prescribed, the court may, notwithstanding any other provision of law, suspend a fiduciary engaged in war service from the exercise of all of the fiduciary's powers and duties while the fiduciary remains engaged in war service and until the further order of the court. The decree may further provide that the remaining fiduciary or, if there is none, the successor named in the will or appointed by the court is possessed of and may exercise all of the powers and duties incidental to the person's office as fiduciary.

(5)

(a) When the suspended fiduciary ceases to be engaged in war service the suspended fiduciary may be reinstated if any of the duties of the office remain unexecuted, upon application to the court and upon any notice that the presiding judge of the court directs. Upon reinstatement of the suspended fiduciary, the court shall remove the suspended fiduciary's successor and revoke the successor fiduciary's letters, and make any other order or decree that justice requires.

(b) Removal and revocation of letters under par. (a) shall not bar the successor from again qualifying as a fiduciary in accordance with the provisions of the will or if for any reason the appointment of a successor fiduciary is required subsequently.

History: 1993 a. 492; 2001 a. 102.