Moving Forward Without Court Approval
One of the most practical features of Arizona probate law is that personal representatives are expected to act independently. There is no requirement to go before a judge for routine decisions about settling the estate. Paying bills, collecting assets, communicating with beneficiaries, and preparing for distribution can all happen without waiting for a court hearing.
A personal representative shall proceed expeditiously with the settlement and distribution of a decedent's estate and, except as otherwise specified or ordered in regard to a supervised personal representative, do so without adjudication, order or direction of the court, but he may invoke the jurisdiction of the court, in proceedings authorized by this title, to resolve questions concerning the estate or its administration.
A.R.S. § 14-3704The word "expeditiously" matters. Arizona does not want estates sitting idle. The personal representative has both the authority and the obligation to keep things moving.
When Court Involvement Makes Sense
Even though the statute favors independence, it does not leave personal representatives without a safety net. If a dispute arises among beneficiaries, or if the personal representative faces a question about how the law applies to a specific asset or creditor claim, they can bring that issue to the court for guidance. This is optional, not required, but it can be valuable when the stakes are high or the answer is not clear.
The exception is supervised administration. When a court has ordered supervision, the personal representative must follow additional procedures and may need court approval before taking certain actions. For most estates in Arizona, though, informal administration is the norm, and this statute gives the personal representative broad authority to handle things efficiently.