Court of Probate

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COURT OF PROBATE

A judicial body that exercises jurisdiction over the acceptance of wills as valid documents and over the management and settlement of the estates of minors or of spendthrifts, of mentally incompetent persons, and of habitual drunkards.

Such courts possess a limited jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases in some states. In some jurisdictions, they are also called orphans' courts and surrogate courts.

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