Alabama § 43-8-215 - Contesting the Probate of a Will.

§ 43-8-215. Contesting the Probate of a Will.

(a) A will, before the probate thereof or at any time within 180 days after the admission of such will to probate, may be contested by any interested person by filing in the court where it is offered for probate, or if the proceedings in that court have been removed to the circuit court in accordance with Section 43-8-216 and is then pending in the circuit court, then in the circuit court to which the proceeding has been removed, allegations in writing that the will was not duly executed, or of the unsoundness of mind of the testator, or of any other valid objections thereto; and thereupon an issue must be made up, under the direction of the court, between the person who made or is making the application for the probate of the will, as plaintiff, and the person contesting the validity of the will, as defendant; and the issue, on application of either party, must be tried by a jury.

(b) In the event of a contest of the probate of a will, all interested persons shall be made parties to the contest; the contest proceedings shall be conclusive as to all matters that were litigated or could have been litigated in such contest; and no further proceedings shall ever be entertained in any courts of this state to probate or contest the probate of the will.

(c) After the expiration of the 180-day period after the admission of the will to probate, the validity of the will can only be contested by infants and persons of unsound mind who had no legal conservator at the time the will was admitted to probate, or who were not represented by a guardian ad litem, who are allowed one year after the appointment of a conservator, or, if none be appointed, one year from the termination of their respective disabilities in which to contest such will, but in no case to exceed 20 years from the time the will was admitted to probate; and also provided there has not been a contest of such will instituted and prosecuted to final judgment.

(d) Except for proceedings pending in a probate court in a county where the probate court or judge exercises equity jurisdiction concurrent with that of the circuit court by virtue of a provision of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, specific to the county, a local act, or a statute specific to the county, then, pursuant to Section 43-8-216, any party to the will contest may remove the will contest from the probate court to the circuit court, provided the removal occurs no later than 42 days before the first setting of the contest for trial unless leave of the probate court is obtained based on a showing of good cause.