59-2237. Exhibition of demands and hearing thereon; allowance without hearing, when. (a) Any person may exhibit a demand against the estate of a decedent by filing a petition for its allowance in the proper district court. Such demand shall be deemed duly exhibited from the date of the filing of the petition. The petition shall contain a statement of all offsets which the estate is entitled. The person exhibiting the demand shall provide a copy of the demand, as filed, to the personal representative of the estate. The court shall from time to time as it deems advisable, and must at the request of the executor or administrator, or at the request of any creditor having exhibited demand, fix the time and place for the hearing of such demands. Notice of the time and place of the demand hearing shall be given in such manner and to such persons as the court shall direct.

(b) The verification of any demand may be deemed prima facie evidence of its validity unless a written defense thereto is filed. Upon the adjudication of any demand, the court shall enter its judgment allowing or disallowing it. Such judgment shall show the date of adjudication, the amount allowed, the amount disallowed and classification if allowed. Judgments relating to contingent demands shall state the nature of the contingency.

(c) Any demand not exceeding $5,000, other than a demand by the executor or administrator, duly itemized and verified and which is timely filed, may be paid by the executor or administrator without compliance with any of the provisions of this act relating to petition, notice of hearing, allowance by the court or otherwise. If a written defense to the petition of the executor or administrator for a final settlement and accounting is timely filed by any interested party which takes issue with payment of the demand by the executor or administrator, at the hearing on the petition the burden of proof shall be upon the executor or administrator to establish that the demand was due and owing by the estate. If the demand, or any part thereof, is disallowed by the court, the accounting of the executor or administrator shall not be allowed as to the disallowed demand, or part thereof.

History: L. 1939, ch. 180, § 213; L. 1941, ch. 284, § 10; L. 1943, ch. 213, § 3; L. 1974, ch. 238, § 1; L. 1976, ch. 242, § 35; L. 1987, ch. 212, § 1; L. 1989, ch. 173, § 5; L. 2000, ch. 25, § 6; July 1.