I should now confess to my previous form. About 20 years ago I got a fine for illegal parking in Cairns. About 30 years ago I got a fine for riding a motorbike without a helmet. This is the sum total of my criminal record. My previous experiences pale to insignificance compared to recent events. My mother died in July and I am executor. My mother’s affairs were very simple consisting of bank accounts. I stopped pensions and discharged her debts in short time. I had much difficulty liquidating a few Telstra shares valued about $400. The labyrinthine procedures and documentary evidence required just to liberate a few shares should have given me some insight into the quagmire awaiting me. I really think Telstra doesn’t like people selling their shares.
I was informed by the bank that I would require probate. Hmmm, never heard of it, but would be a great name for rat poison. Probate, it turns out is a lot worse that rat poison. Some research on the web tells me I must apply to the supreme court for ‘grant of probate’ which requires……. well heaps of paper. I searched through about 2000 forms to cull the ones I might need. I innocently filled them in by just filling in the blanks like one does with government forms. Wrong. First you have to tailor the forms and remove sections of it when you grasp that you are testate, do not require ‘letters of administration’, have no codicils and you are the deponent rather that the plaintiff. There is a vocabulary here I do not normally use. Having identified the 15 or so forms I require, I advertise public notices in papers, generate bulk papers, provide masses of supporting documents and proudly submit all to the Supreme Court.
Never has my most feeble school homework come back with so much red ink. Where was 3 different copies of form 47?, Headers and footers having non-identical addresses, numerous formatting errors, etc etc.
I have been working for days trying to get all the ducks in a row. I am on first name terms with the Civil Clerk in Cairns Supreme Court. I have been e-mailing bulk files back and forth as he tries to coach me to the legal sweet spot in a process of ever decreasing circles as I try to refine these forms to the required format. It is the process which is so difficult. I have been amazed by the quick response and helpful advice of the officers of the court. Thank you. It must be a pain dealing with legal illiterates such as myself. Tomorrow I go to Atherton to get affidavits and certificates of exhibit and other sundry documents certified by a JP. Then I will post to the Supreme Court once again.
Wish me luck.
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