MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia state legislature passed a law last year that allows counties to temporarily close inactive estates before the commission.
In Monongalis County there were 198 such estates, 197 of them were temporarily closed with a unanimous vote by the county commission.
Monongalia County clerk Carye Blaney says this new law will save her office time and money.
Blaney said,”While they were remaining active our staff was required to still monitor those estates, we still send out reminder notices which was costing us money for postage and printing the reminder notices.”
Blaney made it clear that if an heir or family member needed to reopen the estate it can be done.
Blaney said,”Administrative closure by the commission does not mean that these estates no longer have any remedy, at any point in the future family members or heirs can reopen the estate by appearing before the commission.”
The current state law allows estate disputes that can’t be settled at the county level can be taken to circuit court.