Nevada Revised Statutes Section 139.040 - Wills and Estates of Deceased Persons

Order of priority for right to appointment; priority of nominee.

1. Administration of the intestate estate of a decedent must be granted to one or more of the persons mentioned in this section, and they are respectively entitled to priority for appointment in the following order:

(a) The surviving spouse.

(b) The children.

(c) The father or the mother.

(d) The brother or the sister.

(e) The grandchildren.

(f) Any other of the kindred entitled to share in the distribution of the estate.

(g) The public administrator.

(h) Creditors who have become such during the lifetime of the decedent.

(i) Any of the kindred not above enumerated, within the fourth degree of consanguinity.

(j) Any person or persons legally qualified.

2. A person in each of the foregoing classes is entitled:

(a) To appointment, if the person is:

(1) A resident of the State of Nevada or associates as coadministrator a resident of the State of Nevada; or

(2) A banking corporation which is authorized to do business in this state or which associates as coadministrator a resident of the State of Nevada or a banking corporation authorized to do business in this state.

(b) To nominate a resident of the State of Nevada or a qualified banking corporation for appointment, whether or not the nominator is a resident of the State of Nevada or a qualified banking corporation. The nominee has the same priority as the nominator. That priority is independent of the residence or corporate qualification of the nominator.

3. If any heir who is otherwise entitled to appointment is a minor or an incompetent person for whom a guardian has been appointed, the court may appoint the guardian of the minor or incompetent person as administrator.

Last modified: February 25, 2006