A Maine Intestate Petition (Formal Estate) is a legal document that is used to establish the validity of an estate in the state of Maine when the deceased had no will when they died. This type of petition is typically filed by an heir, personal representative, or other interested party with the Register of Probate in the county where the deceased resided. The petition is used to determine the lawful distribution of an estate’s assets to the rightful heirs of the deceased. The two main types of Maine Intestate Petition (Formal Estate) are Formal Administration and Non-Formal Administration. Formal Administration is the most common type of petition and is used when there is an estate of a substantial value that needs to be distributed. In this type of petition, the assets are distributed in accordance with the law of intestacy, which is set out in the Maine Revised Statutes. Non-Formal Administration is used when the estate is small and the assets do not need to be distributed in accordance with the law of intestacy. In this type of petition, the assets are distributed in accordance with the wishes of the deceased, as expressed in any written instruments, such as a will or trust.