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Probate & Trust Law Section Conference Manual ... - Minnesota CLE

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3. The Partition statute allows administrative costs including<br />

attorney’s fees to petitioner. Minn. Stat. § 558.10. Kuller<br />

v. Kuller, 250 Minn. 256, 109 N.W.2d 561 (1961).<br />

B. District Court has jurisdiction over partition subsequent to probate<br />

proceeding or for nonprobate real estate. See Minn. Stat. chapter<br />

558.<br />

1. Co-tenant has an “absolute right to compel a partition or<br />

sale.” Hunt v. Meeker County Abstract Co., 128 Minn.<br />

207, 211, 150 N.W. 798, 799 (1915).<br />

2. Again under Minn. Stat. § 558.10, administrative expenses<br />

including attorney’s fees may be imposed.<br />

3. Caveat: If action had another other purpose (such as a title<br />

issue), attorney’s fees can be denied. See Hunt v. Meeker<br />

County Abstract Co., 128 Minn. 538, 151 N.W. 1102<br />

(1915).<br />

TIP 10.5: ATTORNEY LIEN CAN BE SOUGHT ON CLIENT’S<br />

INTEREST IN THE ESTATE<br />

A. Minn. Stat. § 525.491 allows an attorney for an heir or devisee to<br />

serve a lien upon the personal representative which the attorney<br />

can perfect in the manner set forth in Minn. Stat. § 481.13.<br />

B. The statute addresses not merely an inheritance or devise but<br />

indicates the heir’s or devisee’s “interest in the estate.” The broad<br />

language of this would seem to include administrative<br />

9

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