A special administrator is a court appointed individual who obtains the responsibility of investigating an individual’s estate or managing the assets of an individual’s estate following his/her death. Generally, a special administrator will be appointed when there are disputes or disagreements between beneficiaries, or between the executor and the beneficiaries. In order to appoint a special administrator, a motion to appoint must be filed.
An individual can obtain the necessary paperwork from his/her local court. This form will ask a petitioner about his/her relationship to the deceased individual. He/she must gain approval from the interested parties in the probate case, to act as the special administrator or to appoint a special administrator. After the paperwork is successfully completed, it can be returned to the local court, where it will be reviewed. The judge will analyze the petition and determine whether it should be approved.