A Special Administrator is a court-appointed individual assigned to manage the affairs of an estate on a temporary basis when there is an urgent need for administration, such as when the appointed executor is unavailable, unwilling, or unable to fulfil their duties, or when there is a delay in appointing a permanent administrator or executor. Special Administrators are typically appointed by a probate court and have limited authority to perform specific tasks necessary to protect the estate, preserve assets, and address immediate issues. Their duties may include locating and safeguarding estate assets, paying urgent debts and expenses, and ensuring the estate’s affairs are managed until a permanent administrator or executor is appointed. The appointment of a Special Administrator is often temporary and may be terminated once a permanent representative is appointed or when the urgent circumstances requiring their appointment have been resolved.
- In the law of wills and estates, a person appointed by the court to take charge of only a designated portion of an estate during probate. For example, a special administrator with particular expertise on art might be appointed to oversee the probate of a wealthy person's art collection, but not the entire estate.
- A person appointed to be responsible for a deceased person's property for a limited time or during an emergency, such as a challenge to the will or to the qualifications of the named executor. In such cases, the special administrator's duty is to maintain and preserve the estate, not necessarily to take control of the probate process
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This glossary post was last updated: 29th March 2024.
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