House Bill 447 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Phillip EnslerRepresentative

Democrat

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Montgomery County; judge of probate, authorized to register wills

Summary

HB447 would let Montgomery County residents file their wills with the Judge of Probate, register them on a docket, keep the file confidential until death, and allow public inspection of the docket.

What This Bill Does

If passed, the bill lets a Montgomery County resident file a will with the Judge of Probate and have it registered on a county docket. The judge would record the will, the date deposited, and the withdrawal date, while the actual file remains confidential before the testator’s death and is accessible only to the depositor, their legal representative, or their attorney; the docket, however, would be open to the public. The judge may charge a reasonable fee for filing each will, and the act does not prohibit revoking a will or changing its ambulatory nature by executing a subsequent will.

Who It Affects

• Montgomery County residents who have made a will and choose to file it for registration; their interactions would involve the confidential will file and the public docket.
• The general public who can inspect the probate docket (but not the confidential contents of the file before the testator’s death).

Key Provisions

• Residents may file a will with the Montgomery County Office of the Judge of Probate; a docket will record the will, the deposit date, and the withdrawal date.
• The will file is confidential before the testator's death; access is limited to the depositor, their legal representative, or their attorney; the docket is public.
• The judge may charge a reasonable filing fee for each will filed.
• The act does not prohibit revoking a will by executing a subsequent will or alter the ambulatory nature of a will.
• The act becomes effective immediately.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 12, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Montgomery County