Where an estate is being held up as a result of a dispute between the beneficiaries of the estate it may be wise to consider a court application to have a neutral third person appointed as an administrator pendente lite.
This may be useful particularly when the parties to the dispute or litigation are also named as the executors of the estate.
An administrator pendente lite is appointed by the court to manage the estate while the litigation is ongoing to preserve and if possible to grow the assets of the estate.
An administrator pendente lite is usually a lawyer or an accountant who is familiar with the estate procedures and with the steps needed to manage the estate assets.
The administrator pendente lite is an officer of the court and is an impartial executor of the estate and a neutral independent with respect to all parties to the litigation.
