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be commenced directly against the personal representative of
the decedent. Just as the failure of heirs to probate a
decedent's estate does not preclude the commencement of an
action, neither should the closing of an estate preclude the
commencement of an action which otherwise is authorized.
Williams v. Grossman, 409 Mich. 67, 83-84, 293 N.W.2d 315, 320
(1980). Furthermore:
Although the probate of an estate has been completed and the
estate closed, where a person has an action which by statute
may be commenced directly against the personal
representative of the decedent without first filing a claim
against his probate estate, the administration of the estate
is "incomplete" within the meaning of the statute and upon
petition the estate may be reopened to provide a suable
person so that the action can be commenced. * * * [Fn. ref.
omitted.]
Id. at 77-78, 293 N.W.2d at 317. The Court believes that this
rule is particularly applicable to this case since the proceeding
in this Court commenced prior to Mr. Dornbrock's death and was
still pending at the time of his death and throughout the
administration of his estate. "A presentation of a claim is not
required in matters claimed in proceedings against the decedent
that were pending at the time of death." Mich. Comp. Laws Ann.,
sec. 700.712 (West 1995). Moreover, "a judgment in a proceeding
in another court against a personal representative to enforce a
claim against a decedent's estate constitutes an allowance of the
claim." Id. sec. 700.717. Mrs. Dornbrock failed to show that
the closing of her husband's estate prior to the time of the
substitution of parties in this case would have the effect of
invalidating the substitution of parties. What she has shown,
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