The District of Columbia Abbreviated Probate Order — For Estates of Decedents Dying On Or After July 1, 1995, is a legal document that grants authority to an executor or personal representative to settle the estate of a decedent. The document is used when the decedent has died on or after July 1, 1995. It outlines the powers and duties of the executor or personal representative, such as collecting the decedent's assets, paying the decedent's debts and distributing the remaining assets to the rightful heirs. There are two types of District of Columbia Abbreviated Probate Order — For Estates of Decedents Dying On Or After July 1, 1995: an Ancillary and a Principal Probate Order. An Ancillary Probate Order is used when the decedent owned assets in the District of Columbia, but their principal residence was in another state. A Principal Probate Order is used when the decedent resided in the District of Columbia at the time of their death. Both types of Probate Order must be filed with the court to be valid.