New York County Surrogate’s Court has special requirements when probating duplicate original wills.

The proposed decree must include the text of the entire will(s). A sample decree provided to me by the New York County Surrogate’s Court looks like this:

SATISFACTORY PROOF having been made that jurisdiction has been obtained of all necessary parties and that all necessary notice has been given of this proceeding, the allegations of the party appearing having been heard, and the proofs having been duly taken by the Surrogate, among other things as to the execution of the instruments bearing date ______________, and the probate of said instruments not having been contested, and it appearing to the Surrogate that the instruments were duly executed, and that the testator at the time of the execution was in all respects competent to make a Will and not under restraint, and the Court being satisfied of the genuineness of the said instruments and the validity of their execution;

NOW, THEREFORE,

IT IS ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED, that the instruments offered for probate herein be, and the same hereby are, admitted to probate as the Last Will and Testament of the said deceased, valid to pass real and personal property in the following words and figures, to wit:

[INSERT TEXT OF ENTIRE LAST WILL & TESTAMENT HERE]

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED AND DECREED that the said Will and this decree be recorded, and that letters testamentary be issued to _______________ upon qualifying according to law. It is further ordered that preliminary letters heretofore issued herein are revoked.