Dealing in good faith for value with independent representative protected
When someone deals honestly with an independent personal representative (a person who manages a dead person's estate without close court supervision) and pays fair value, that person is protected. They do not have to check whether the representative had the right to do what they did. If the representative mishandles things, the people who were supposed to benefit from the estate can sue the representative for damages, but the sale to an honest buyer cannot be undone.
473.811. Dealing for value with protected — no duty to inquire — of . — 1. A person who in good faith deals with an independent personal representative for value is protected as if the independent personal representative properly exercised his power. The fact that a person deals with an independent personal representative does not require the person to inquire into the existence of a power or the of its exercise.
2. No or by the independent personal representative to a for a shall be on the ground that the independent personal representative was not acting reasonably for the of . Interested persons may recover from the independent personal representative any by failure of the independent personal representative to act reasonably for the benefit of interested persons.
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Source & history notes
(L. 1983 H.B. 369)
Related Missouri laws
Powers and duties of independent personal representative
RSMo 473.810
Independent personal representative's right to decedent's property
RSMo 473.803
Liability of personal representative
RSMo 473.820
Supplementary inventory, when required
RSMo 473.800
Compensation of independent personal representative and attorney
RSMo 473.823
Independent personal representative may employ appraisers, attorney, accountant or tax specialist
RSMo 473.797
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.