Full Authority Without a Separate Probate Case
This statute gives foreign personal representatives real power in Arizona. After filing under A.R.S. 14-4204, they can do everything a local representative could do.
For example, they can collect debts owed to the estate, sell or transfer property, and handle legal proceedings. These powers cover all of the estate's Arizona assets.
A domiciliary foreign personal representative who has complied with section 14-4204 may exercise as to assets in this state all powers of a local personal representative and may maintain actions and proceedings in this state subject to any conditions imposed upon nonresident parties generally.
A.R.S. § 14-4205There is one limit. The representative must follow the same rules Arizona places on any nonresident in legal proceedings. These are general rules, not estate-specific ones.
Why This Streamlines Multi-State Estate Settlement
Without this statute, a family would need to open a full ancillary probate in Arizona. That means a separate court process, a local representative, more attorney fees, and more delays.
This means the foreign representative can act with full local authority after a simple filing. The estate can be managed from the home state while still handling Arizona assets properly.
This is especially valuable when the Arizona property is a small part of the overall estate. A full local probate would be too costly in that case.