Application for probate grants made more accessible with online services

SINGAPORE – Self-represented applicants can now apply online to be legally recognised as the executor of a dead person’s estate, the latest in a slew of legal processes to go digital.

Individuals can apply for the grant of probate as long as there is a valid will, and if they have been named as the executor of the estate.

The grant of probate legally recognises them as the manager of the dead person’s property, including for the distribution of the estate to the beneficiaries after payment of the dead person’s debts and other expenses.

The eService was launched on Saturday at One Punggol.

Justice Debbie Ong, Presiding Judge of the Family Justice Courts, said: “The Probate eService is one of our recent initiatives to improve access to justice by making court processes simpler and friendlier for court users.

“We have simplified procedural steps and leveraged technology to facilitate direct online filing, which we hope will provide a more positive experience for self-represented persons tending to the affairs of their loved ones.”

Prior to the launch of the eService, these applicants had to make multiple trips to the CrimsonLogic Service Bureau, located at the State Courts, to file their documents at various stages of the application.

Family Justice Courts Registrar Kenneth Yap said users of the online service are provided with a step-by-step walk-through of the probate application process.

The online service also helps to fill up forms by directly extracting information from the Singpass app and retrieves information on the dead person from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority.

“To save time, relevant information is auto-populated from existing government sources, payment can be made online, and if papers are in order, the grant of probate can be issued without the need to attend a hearing,” said Mr Yap.

He added that if legal assistance is required, the system will provide a handover to lawyers to take over the application and file on their client’s behalf. 

The Probate eService is the latest in a series of digital initiatives by the Family Justice Courts to help litigants navigate the court system.

Maintenance, family violence and simplified Mental Capacity Act applications can already be filed directly on the Integrated Family Application Management System. More recently, the Divorce eService was launched in November 2021.

Mr Yap said: “We recognise that going to court can be a daunting experience. So, we constantly seek new ways to make the court journey smoother and user-friendly.

“Where possible, we allow users to file, transact, pay fees and even attend hearings from the convenience of their own homes.”