<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="get" article_name="Estates and Trusts" number="3-407" title_number="3" title_name="Intestate Succession and Statutory Shares" subtitle_number="4" subtitle_name="Elective Share of Surviving Spouse">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The election by a surviving spouse to take an elective share shall be made within the later of:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>9 months after the date of the decedent’s death; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>6 months after the first appointment of a personal representative.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>Within the period for making an election, the surviving spouse may file with the court a petition for an extension of time, with a copy given to the personal representative.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>For good cause shown, the court may extend the time for election for a period not to exceed 3 months at a time.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The surviving spouse may withdraw the election at any time before the expiration of the time for making the election to take an elective share.</text>
  </level>
</section>
