Two Paths: Informal and Formal Proceedings
Arizona probate law offers flexibility in how estate matters are handled. People with an interest in a deceased person's estate can choose between informal proceedings handled by the registrar and formal proceedings before the court. Informal proceedings are simpler and faster. Formal proceedings involve court hearings and are used when disputes arise or when a binding court order is needed.
Persons interested in decedents' estates may apply to the registrar for determination in the informal proceedings provided in this chapter and may petition the court for orders in formal proceedings within the court's jurisdiction including but not limited to those described in this article.
A.R.S. § 14-3105(A)In formal proceedings, the court can hear and decide any matter related to estate administration and distribution, as long as interested persons receive proper notice. Those who are notified are bound by the court's decision, even if not every interested person was included in the notice.
The Court's Broad Jurisdiction
The statute gives probate courts general jurisdiction over a wide range of estate-related matters. This includes actions to determine or quiet title to estate property, personal injury and wrongful death claims, actions to recover assets that belong to the estate, and proceedings to subject distributed property to creditor or successor claims.
The court has general jurisdiction that it may exercise in a formal proceeding in any other action or proceeding concerning succession or to which an estate, through a personal representative, may be a party.
A.R.S. § 14-3105(C)This broad authority means most estate-related disputes can be resolved in one court rather than requiring separate lawsuits in different venues. For families navigating probate, this centralized jurisdiction helps keep the process manageable.