letters of administration

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Explanation of "Letters of Administration"

Definition:
"Letters of administration" is a legal document that is issued by a court. It allows a person to manage and distribute the estate (the money, property, and belongings) of someone who has died, especially when that person did not leave a will or did not name an executor (the person who manages the estate).

Example:

• "After my uncle passed away without a will, we needed to apply for letters of administration to take care of his estate."

Advanced Usage:

In more complex legal discussions, you might see "letters of administration" used in phrases like: - "The court granted letters of administration, allowing her to settle her late father's financial obligations." - "He was appointed as the administrator of the estate with letters of administration in hand."

Word Variants:

• Administrator (noun): The person who is appointed to manage the estate.
• Administration (noun): The process of managing the estate or the act of administering it.

Different Meanings:

• In a different context, "administration" can refer to the management of a business or organization, such as "school administration."

Synonyms:

• Estate administration
• Probate (though "probate" usually refers to the process of validating a will rather than managing an estate without a will)

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

While "letters of administration" does not have specific idioms or phrasal verbs associated with it, understanding related terms can be helpful: - "To settle an estate": This means to finalize all the financial and legal matters of a deceased person's estate. - "To wind up an estate": Similar to settling, it means to complete the administration process of an estate.

Summary:

"Letters of administration" is an important legal term used when someone needs to manage the estate of a deceased person who did not leave a will.

Academic

Noun

1. legal document naming someone to administer an estate when no executor has been named