2-1-205. Summary procedure for distribution of personal or real property; application for decree; notice by publication; presumptive evidence of title; effect of false statements.

(a) If any person dies who is the owner of personal or real property, including mineral interests, but whose entire estate including personal property does not exceed two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000.00), less liens and encumbrances, the person or persons claiming to be the distributee or distributees of the decedent may file, not earlier than thirty (30) days after the decedent's death, an application for a decree of summary distribution of property.

(b) The application shall be sworn to and signed by any person claiming to be a distributee and shall state the facts required by W.S. 2-1-201(a)(i) through (v). The application shall also fully describe any real property, including any mineral interests, being claimed.

(c) The application shall have attached thereto a sworn report of value which may be based upon a broker's price opinion as defined by W.S. 33-28-102(b)(lxii), made by a person who has no legal interest in the estate, showing the value on the date of the decedent's death of all interests owned by the decedent in real property located in Wyoming, including mineral interests.

(d) Subject to subsection (j) of this section, a notice of application for a decree of summary distribution of property shall be published once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the application was filed. The notice of application shall be served by first class mail to the last known address, with copy of application attached, to the surviving spouse of the decedent, if any, and to all other distributees, so far as known, or to their guardians if any of them are minors, or to their personal representatives if any of them are deceased and to any reasonably ascertainable creditors not later than ten (10) days after the date of first publication.

(e) If the decedent received medical assistance pursuant to W.S. 42-4-101 through 42-4-114, the state department of health shall be provided a copy of the application for a decree within ten (10) days after the date of first publication.

(f) An objection to an application shall be filed before the expiration of the later of twenty (20) days after the mailing required by subsection (d) of this section or thirty (30) days after the date of first publication. An untimely objection is forever barred. If no timely objection is filed, the court shall enter a decree establishing the right and title to the property located in Wyoming. A certified copy of the decree shall be recorded in the office of the county clerk of each county in which the real property, including mineral interests, is located. Upon recording of the decree, the decree and the record thereof shall be presumptive evidence of title to the property. If an objection to the application is filed within the time provided in this subsection, the court shall set the matter for a hearing, after which the court shall enter an order either denying or granting the application.

(g) In the event that the decree is entered as the result of an application containing a materially false statement, title to the property which passes as a result of the decree shall not be affected but the person or persons signing as distributee or distributees and knowingly swearing to a materially false statement in the application shall be subject to the appropriate penalties for perjury. Any distributee who is damaged by an application containing a material false statement may file an action to amend the decree, and for damages. The action shall be filed in the court in which the application was filed. Any action under this paragraph is barred unless commenced within two (2) years from the entry of the decree.

(h) The procedure provided by this section may be used in addition to the affidavit procedure provided by W.S. 2-1-201.

(j) Notice to the agent or attorney of any party entitled to notice under this section is notice to that party.

(k) Distributions of property under this article to a person who claims title to the decedent's property through intervening estates is authorized if the person is a distributee as defined in W.S. 2-1-209.

(m) A distributee who has satisfied the requirements of this section and W.S. 2-1-201 is entitled to a decree of summary distribution and no further action under this title is required.