Missouri Laws 474.170 – Notice of right to elect
Terms Used In Missouri Laws 474.170
- Decedent: A deceased person.
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Guardian: if used in a section in a context relating to property rights or obligations, means conservator of the estate as defined in chapter 475. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Month: means a calendar month, and "year" means a calendar year unless otherwise expressed, and is equivalent to the words year of our Lord. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020
- Probate: Proving a will
- Testator: A male person who leaves a will at death.
The clerk of the court, after the will of a married person is admitted to probate, shall, within one month thereafter, mail by ordinary mail a written notice, directed to the testator‘s surviving spouse at his last known residence address, informing him that a written election must be filed by or on behalf of the surviving spouse in order to take against the will, within ten days after the expiration of the time limited for contesting the will of the decedent, unless the time is extended pursuant to law. Failure of the clerk to mail or of any surviving spouse to receive the notice herein required does not affect the time for making an election as prescribed by section 474.180. If the court is informed that a surviving spouse has been adjudicated a disabled or incapacitated person but has no guardian or conservator the notice need not be given but the court may appoint a guardian ad litem to make the election.