Although Jersey is part of the British Isles, when it comes to some aspects of its law, it is entirely separate, and this is the case for probate. There are different procedures that must be followed in order to obtain probate on Jersey compared to England, so it is important to understand the differences if any form of Jersey law applies to you.
In most of the UK, it is the job of the executor to obtain a Grant of Probate so that they can then deal with the deceased’s estate, and divide it in accordance with their wishes. The Grant of Probate will be obtained through the local probate office.
On the island of Jersey, there isn’t exactly a probate office, so the process of obtaining the Grant of Probate is going to have to be different. On Jersey, there is just one office that deals in probate – as well as many other things – and it is where the Judicial Greffe (the office that deals with most legal proceedings on the island) is to be found. If you need a Grant of Probate on Jersey, you will need to attend at appointment with the Judicial Greffe.
At that meeting, you will need to discuss the case at hand, and provide evidence regarding the death, and the estate. This will be a death certificate, the will, a confirmation of how much the assets are valued at in total, proof of any outstanding debts, and photographic ID. Once this has been provided, the executor will need to swear the Oath of Executor, and when this is done, probate can be granted.
As well as this, the appointment with the Judicial Greffe will be used to determine whether any fees are payable against the estate. If there are fees to be paid then probate will be delayed and the executor will need to obtain Court Stamps from the States Treasury. The Stamps must be delivered to the Judicial Greffe, after which probate can begin.
Visiting the Judicial Greffe should be a fairly quick and relatively simple part of obtaining probate. It is essential that you have all the documentation required, and you will be told exactly what to bring when you phone to make an appointment.
If you are unable to visit the Judicial Greffe in person, possibly because you don’t live on Jersey and the journey would be both expensive and time consuming, then it is possible to have someone go on your behalf, in a professional capacity. Please do speak to us if you would like to find out more about this service.
