The Future of Probate is Here – My Reflections on the New Courts Portal

The Courts Service continues to modernise the administration of justice, and one of the most significant recent developments for practitioners is the nationwide rollout of the Courts Portal for solicitor applications for Grants of Probate.

The Courts Service recently organised a great webinar. I finally took the plunge last week and lodged my very first e-Probate application.

I won't lie—I was probably more excited than I should have been! For a probate solicitor who's spent decades dealing with paper files, affidavits, DX envelopes, and hoping the registered post arrives safely, pressing "Submit" felt like witnessing history!

No champagne was opened in the office... but it crossed my mind.

The objective behind the new system is clear: to reduce delays, minimise errors and create a more efficient probate process for practitioners and the Probate Office alike.

A significant change

Solicitors can now submit qualifying probate applications electronically through the Courts Portal.

The system:

• retrieves Revenue Notice of Acknowledgement details automatically;
• guides practitioners through the application process;
• generates the required Statements of Truth;
• facilitates digital signatures by executors and other parties;
• allows online payment;
• and provides electronic notifications if the Probate Office raises any queries.

One particularly significant innovation is the replacement of the traditional Oath of Executorwith a Statement of Truth, signed electronically. This removes the need for swearing an oath before a practising solicitor or commissioner for oaths while retaining the same legal significance.

The journey has begun

At present, the portal supports solicitor applications for Grants of Probate, with applications for intestacy expected to follow later this year. Some more complex applications remain outside the online system for now, but this is clearly only the beginning of the digital transformation.

Original wills and testamentary documents must still be lodged with the Probate Office, so we haven't completely said goodbye to paper just yet!

Progress worth embracing

Technology will never replace good legal advice or careful probate practice, but it can certainly make the administrative side more efficient.

Like many solicitors, I've seen probate practice evolve enormously over the years. From handwritten oaths and bulky paper files to digital Statements of Truth and online filing, it is remarkable how quickly the profession is changing.

And yes... I'll freely admit it...

Watching my first e-Probate application disappear into cyberspace was strangely satisfying.

Now I'm just waiting for the day when I start reminiscing to trainees:

"Back in my day we carried probate papers to the post office in the pouring rain..."

The legal profession continues to evolve, and it's great to see the Courts Service embracing innovation while maintaining the integrity of the probate process.