probate

/ˈproʊbeɪt/
noun
  1. The official legal process of proving that a person's will is valid and then managing their property after they die.
    • They avoided probate by setting up a living trust for their assets.
    • After her grandfather died, the family had to go through probate to divide his belongings.
    • The lawyer explained that probate can take several months to complete.
verb
  1. To prove that a will is legally valid in a court of law.
    • A judge will probate the document after checking the signatures and witnesses.
    • They hired an attorney to help probate their aunt's will.
    • The executor must probate the will within 30 days of the person's death.