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<section article="get" article_name="Estates and Trusts" number="5-105" title_number="5" title_name="Opening the Estate" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="General Provisions">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section, “serious crime” means a crime that reflects adversely on an individual’s honesty, trustworthiness, or fitness to perform the duties of a personal representative.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Serious crime” includes fraud, extortion, embezzlement, forgery, perjury, and theft.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>Subject to § 5–104 of this subtitle, the register or court may grant letters to:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>A trust company;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Any other corporation authorized by law to be a personal representative; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Subject to subsection (c) of this section, any individual.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>Letters may not be granted to a person who, at the time a determination of priority is made, has filed with the register a declaration in writing that the person renounces the right to administer or is:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Under the age of 18 years;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Mentally incompetent;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Convicted of a serious crime, unless the person shows good cause for the granting of letters;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>Not a citizen or a permanent resident of the United States unless the person is:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Domiciled in the United States; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <level label="1">
          <text>The spouse of the decedent;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>An ancestor of the decedent;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>A descendant of the decedent; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>A sibling of the decedent;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>A full–time judge of a court established under the laws of Maryland or the United States including a judge of an orphans’ or probate court, or a clerk of court, or a register, unless the person is the surviving spouse or is related to the decedent within the third degree; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>A nonresident of the State, unless there shall be on file with the register an irrevocable designation by the nonresident of an appropriate person who resides in the State on whom service of process may be made in the same manner and with the effect as if it were served personally in the State on the nonresident.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
