A company will probably lease to you based upon an affidavit of heirship. They will also likely pay a bonus. However, when it comes time to pay royalties, a division order analyst will likely require that you have the estates of your grandparents probated. Technically, it would probably not be an ancillary probate since there was no Will. However, Oklahoma has a similar Summary Probate procedure. From the client’s perspective, there is no major difference between the two. If appropriate, a summary probate takes about 60-90 days to complete once the initial paperwork is signed. Most attorneys are willing to handle this type of matter on a flat fee.
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