What This Statute Actually Does
Most people never read the "purpose" section of a law. But this one matters more than it looks. A.R.S. 14-1102 tells courts how to interpret every other section of Title 14. When a judge faces an ambiguous situation involving a will, trust, guardianship, or conservatorship, this statute provides the lens.
This title shall be liberally construed and applied to promote its underlying purposes and policies.
A.R.S. § 14-1102(A)"Liberally construed" is the key phrase. It means courts should interpret Title 14 in a way that accomplishes its goals, not in a way that creates technical obstacles. If two readings of a statute are possible, courts are supposed to pick the one that keeps things simpler and fairer for the people involved.
The Seven Underlying Goals
Subsection B lists seven purposes that run through all estate and protective proceedings law. Among them: simplifying and clarifying the law, honoring a decedent's intent, promoting a speedy and efficient system for settling estates, and protecting constitutional rights in guardianship and conservatorship cases.
To discover and make effective the intent of a decedent in distribution of his property.
A.R.S. § 14-1102(B)(2)That second purpose is especially important for families. When a will or trust contains language that could be read more than one way, courts are instructed to figure out what the person actually meant and carry that out. The statute also emphasizes providing remedies for unreasonable conduct during proceedings, which protects families from bad-faith litigation that drains estate assets.