A. Except during the pendency of a suit to contest the decedent's will or during the infancy or absence of the executor, the court where the will was admitted to probate or that has jurisdiction to grant administration on the decedent's estate, or the clerk of such court, shall, if there has been no executor or administrator on the decedent's estate for more than two months and on the motion of any person, order any person of the county or city to take into his possession the estate of such decedent and administer the same after requiring such person post a proper bond. However, any sheriff so ordered may decline the appointment if the appointment interferes with his current duties or obligations. The person ordered to take possession of the decedent's estate shall be the administrator, or administrator de bonis non, of the decedent, with his will annexed, if there be a will, and shall be entitled to all the rights and bound to perform all the duties of such administrator.
B. The court may, on reasonable notice to the person appointed, revoke the order made by it or its clerk and the court may, after reasonable notice to the parties in interest, permit the person to resign and allow any other person to qualify as executor or administrator.
C. When an estate is committed to a person pursuant to subsection A on the motion of a creditor or other person, the state tax due for such administration shall be paid by the party who made the motion and such tax shall be repaid to him by the administrator so appointed out of the first funds received by him for such estate.
Code 1950, § 64-124; 1968, c. 656, § 64.1-131; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 155; 1980, c. 438; 1996, c. 317; 2012, c. 614.
Structure Code of Virginia
Title 64.2 - Wills, Trusts, and Fiduciaries
Chapter 6 - Transfers without Qualification
§ 64.2-601. Payment or delivery of small asset by affidavit
§ 64.2-602. Payment or delivery of small asset valued at $25,000 or less without affidavit
§ 64.2-603. Discharge and release of payor
§ 64.2-604. Payment or delivery of small asset; funeral expenses
§ 64.2-605. Construction of article
§ 64.2-607. Transfer of evidences of indebtedness, securities, and stock held in decedents' estates
§ 64.2-608. Transfer of securities of nonresident decedents
§ 64.2-609. Money and personal property belonging to nonresident decedents
§ 64.2-610. When court may allow another to qualify on estate
§ 64.2-611. Disposition by sheriff of property when no person entitled thereto
§ 64.2-613. Registration in beneficiary form; sole or joint tenancy ownership; applicable law
§ 64.2-614. Origination of registration in beneficiary form
§ 64.2-615. Form of registration in beneficiary form; effect
§ 64.2-616. Ownership on death of owner
§ 64.2-617. Protection of registering entity
§ 64.2-618. Nontestamentary transfer on death
§ 64.2-619. Terms, conditions, and forms for registration; examples
§ 64.2-620. Nonprobate transfers on death
§ 64.2-624. Transfer on death deed authorized
§ 64.2-625. Transfer on death deed revocable
§ 64.2-626. Transfer on death deed nontestamentary
§ 64.2-627. Capacity of transferor
§ 64.2-629. Notice, delivery, acceptance, consideration not required
§ 64.2-630. Revocation by instrument authorized; revocation by act not permitted
§ 64.2-631. Effect of transfer on death deed during transferor's life
§ 64.2-632. Effect of transfer on death deed at transferor's death
§ 64.2-634. Liability for creditor claims and statutory allowances
§ 64.2-635. Optional form of transfer on death deed
§ 64.2-636. Optional form of revocation
§ 64.2-637. Uniformity of application and construction
§ 64.2-638. Relation to federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act