Does the probate court have to notify family members if they are not in the will?

my experience is the court itself doesn’t notify heirs. Notifications are done by the probate atty or the executor and based on the heirs named in the will that has been already determined valid & entered to probate court. Valid will is needed for Executor to be appointed.

Probate seems to always be open records; so you can get a copy of all documents filed in the docket attached to the case # for PC for a smallish fee. Some courthouses have all this online so you find the case # and pay the fee (like $8.00 for a probate distribution report) and get it as a PDF.

if your contesting the wills validity, imo you have to have a probate atty who does litigation. Most probate guys do not do litigation. It’s specialty work.

Its up to the Executor. My Probate instructions read that I was to contact the beneficiaries and INTERESTED PARTIES. There is a letter that gets sent out and I had to prove to Probate who I sent the letters to. One the will is probated its public. You just need to contact the county it was probated in, the one the deceased resided in. They can tell youvwho is in the will. If you are in it and not notified tell the probate officer. Ask if probate is closed. If so and you have not received your inheritance you need to contact the Executor and get an accounting.

Nope, but you can assume if no one contacts you that you were not in the will.

No, if there is a legal will and you are not mentioned, there is not a requirement to give notice to a person.