Mo. Rev. Stat. » Chapter 472
Missouri Revised Statutes

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010 (2026)

Definitions

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section MO-REVrevisor.mo.gov Justiaon Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

  472.010.  Definitions. — When used in this code, unless otherwise apparent from the context:

  (1)  "Administrator" includes any administrator de bonis non, administrator cum testamento annexo, administrator ad litem and administrator during absence or minority;

  (2)  "Child" includes an adopted child and a child born out of wedlock, but does not include a grandchild or other more remote descendants;

  (3)  "Claims" include liabilities of the decedent which survive whether arising in contract, tort or otherwise, funeral expenses, the expense of a tombstone, and costs and expenses of administration;

  (4)  "Clerk" means clerk of the probate division of the circuit court;

  (5)  "Code" or "probate code" means chapters 472, 473, 474 and 475;

  (6)  "Court" or "probate court" means the probate division of the circuit court;

  (7)  "Devise", when used as a noun, means a testamentary disposition of real or personal property or both; when used as a verb it means to dispose of real or personal property or both by will;

  (8)  "Devisee" includes legatee;

  (9)  "Distributee" denotes those persons who are entitled to the real and personal property of a decedent under his will, under the statutes of intestate succession or who take as surviving spouse under section 474.160, upon election to take against the will;

  (10)  "Domicile" means the place in which a person has voluntarily fixed his abode, not for a mere special or temporary purpose, but with a present intention of remaining there permanently or for an indefinite time;

  (11)  "Estate" means the real and personal property of the decedent or ward, as from time to time changed in form by sale, reinvestment or otherwise, and augmented by any accretions and additions thereto and substitutions therefor, and diminished by any decreases and distributions therefrom.  Under the provisions of subsections 4 and 5 of section 209.625, assets held in an ABLE account established under sections 209.600 to 209.645 shall not be considered the property of the designated beneficiary of said account for purposes of this subdivision when applied in chapter 475, unless the estate is in the charge and custody of a public administrator;

  (12)  "Exempt property" means that property of a decedent's estate which is not subject to be applied to the payment of claims, charges, legacies or bequests as described in section 474.250;

  (13)  "Fiduciary" includes executor, administrator, guardian, conservator, and trustee;

  (14)  "Heirs" means those persons, including the surviving spouse, who are entitled under the statutes of intestate succession to the real and personal property of a decedent on his death intestate;

  (15)  "Interested persons" mean heirs, devisees, spouses, creditors or any others having a property right or claim against the estate of a decedent being administered and includes children of a protectee who may have a property right or claim against or an interest in the estate of a protectee.  This meaning may vary at different stages and different parts of a proceeding and must be determined according to the particular purpose and matter involved;

  (16)  "Issue" of a person, when used to refer to persons who take by intestate succession, includes adopted children and all lawful lineal descendants, except those who are the lineal descendants of living lineal descendants of the intestate;

  (17)  "Lease" includes an oil and gas lease or other mineral lease, but does not include month-to-month or year-to-year tenancies under oral contracts;

  (18)  "Legacy" means a testamentary disposition of personal property;

  (19)  "Legatee" means a person entitled to personal property under a will;

  (20)  "Letters" include letters testamentary, letters of administration and letters of guardianship;

  (21)  "Lien" includes all liens except general judgment, execution and attachment liens;

  (22)  "Lineal descendants" include adopted children and their descendants;

  (23)  "Mortgage" includes deed of trust, vendor's lien and chattel mortgage;

  (24)  "Person" includes natural persons and corporations;

  (25)  "Personal property" includes interests in goods, money, choses in action, evidences of debt, shares of corporate stock, and chattels real;

  (26)  "Personal representative" means executor or administrator.  It includes an administrator with the will annexed, an administrator de bonis non, an administrator pending contest, an administrator during minority or absence, and any other type of administrator of the estate of a decedent whose appointment is permitted.  It does not include an executor de son tort;

  (27)  "Property" includes both real and personal property;

  (28)  "Real property" includes estates and interests in land, corporeal or incorporeal, legal or equitable, other than chattels real;

  (29)  "Registered mail" includes "certified mail" as defined and certified under regulations of the United States Postal Service;

  (30)  "Will" includes codicil; it also includes a testamentary instrument which merely appoints an executor and a testamentary instrument which merely revokes or revives another will.

­­--------

(L. 1955 p. 385 § 2, A.L. 1957 p. 829, A.L. 1978 H.B. 1634, A.L. 1980 S.B. 637, A.L. 1983 S.B. 44 & 45, A.L. 1986 S.B. 787, A.L. 2019 S.B. 230)

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 135 cases (9 in the last 5 years), 1957–2025 · leading case: In Re the Est. of Whittaker, 261 S.W.3d 615 (Mo. Ct. App. 2008).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
In Re the Est. of Whittaker, 261 S.W.3d 615 (Mo. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 11× “” Mullendore filed a motion to dismiss Nelson’s appeal with this Court, claiming Nelson lacked standing to appeal the probate court’s judgment with respect to her appointment in that Nelson was not an “interested person” as defined by Section 472.010(15) RSMo (2000), 2 and…”
In Re Est. of Jones, 280 S.W.3d 647 (Mo. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 18× “This language is still present in the current version of section 472.010 and is very similar to the language used to define a “creditor” in section 461.”
In Re Est. of Wahlin, 505 S.W.2d 99 (Mo. Ct. App. 1973). · cites it 17× “160, supra, constituted legislative direction that the surviving widow’s statutory share should bear its proportionate burden of the federal estate tax because the surviving widow, in effect, took by “descent” and property taken by “descent” was subject to the payment of…”
In Re the Est. of Bruce, 260 S.W.3d 398 (Mo. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 12× “399 are amendments to, and parts of, the Probate Code, specifically Chapter 473 dealing with administration of decedents' estates.”
Schieber v. Schieber, 289 S.W.3d 256 (Mo. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 11× “Hebert was not an "interested person" as defined in section 472.010(15), RSMo 2000, and that, therefore, she lacked standing to bring a motion to remove Mr.”
North v. Hawkinson, 324 S.W.2d 733 (Mo. 1959). · cites it 12× “Section 472.010, subd. 3 defines: "`Claims' include liabilities of the decedent which survive whether arising in contract or in tort or otherwise * * *.”
Taylor v. Taylor, 47 S.W.3d 377 (Mo. Ct. App. 2001). · cites it 5× “” Section 472.010(15), RSMo, however defines “interested persons” and is made applicable to Chapter 475 by § 474.”
Est. of Sturmfels v. Frederick, 261 S.W.3d 559 (Mo. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 10× “Sturmfels was not an interested person in Protectee’s conserva-torship estate as defined in Section 472.010(15), because Section 475.”
In Re Dugan, 309 S.W.2d 137 (Mo. Ct. App. 1957). · cites it 12× “The question arises because of the definition of "interest" made in section 472.010, V.A.M.S., Laws of 1955, section 2, page 390, in the new probate code.”
Matter of Walker, 875 S.W.2d 147 (Mo. Ct. App. 1994). · cites it 6× “§ 472.010(15) RSMo 1986. Section 472.010(15) contains a caveat that this definition “may vary at different stages and different parts of a proceeding and must be determined according to the particular purpose and matter involved.”
In Re the Est. of Juppier, 81 S.W.3d 699 (Mo. Ct. App. 2002). · cites it 4× “Section 472.010(15) of the probate code defines “interested persons” as follows: Heirs, devisees, spouses, creditors or any others having a property right or claim against the estate of a decedent being administered and includes children of a protectee who may have a property…”
In Re Est. of Givens, 234 S.W.3d 519 (Mo. Ct. App. 2007). · cites it 7× “See sections 472.010(14) and 474.010(2)(a) and (b).”
Show all 135 citing cases →
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(10) — 3 cases
Est. of Summer v. Missouri Dep't of Mental Health, 424 S.W.3d 506 (Mo. Ct. App. 2014).
In the Est. of Quentin Lee Jones, Mary Beth Jones v. Adam Christopher Jones (Mo. Ct. App. 2024).
In the Est. of: Kenneth Summer, Jr., Respondent-respondent v. Missouri Dep't of Mental Health (Mo. Ct. App. 2014).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(11) — 6 cases
In Re Est. of Jones, 280 S.W.3d 647 (Mo. Ct. App. 2009). “This language is still present in the current version of section 472.010 and is very similar to the language used to define a “creditor” in section 461.”
In Re the Est. of Bruce, 260 S.W.3d 398 (Mo. Ct. App. 2008). “399 are amendments to, and parts of, the Probate Code, specifically Chapter 473 dealing with administration of decedents' estates.”
Ruestman v. Ruestman, 111 S.W.3d 464 (Mo. Ct. App. 2003).
In Re Est. of Shuh, 248 S.W.3d 82 (Mo. Ct. App. 2008).
In the Est. of Virgil D. Williams, Deceased; Est. of Virgil D. Williams v. Kim Bauman, Randy Bauman, Kae Lewis & Chad Lewis (Mo. Ct. App. 2023).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(14) — 4 cases
Bosworth v. Sewell, 918 S.W.2d 773 (Mo. 1996).
In Re Est. of Givens, 234 S.W.3d 519 (Mo. Ct. App. 2007). “See sections 472.010(14) and 474.010(2)(a) and (b).”
Hershberger v. Missouri Prot. & Advocacy Servs., Inc., 880 S.W.2d 380 (Mo. Ct. App. 1994).
Boatmen's Trust Co. v. Conklin, 888 S.W.2d 347 (Mo. Ct. App. 1994).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(15) — 51 cases
In Re the Est. of Whittaker, 261 S.W.3d 615 (Mo. Ct. App. 2008). “” Mullendore filed a motion to dismiss Nelson’s appeal with this Court, claiming Nelson lacked standing to appeal the probate court’s judgment with respect to her appointment in that Nelson was not an “interested person” as defined by Section 472.010(15) RSMo (2000), 2 and…”
Schieber v. Schieber, 289 S.W.3d 256 (Mo. Ct. App. 2009). “Hebert was not an "interested person" as defined in section 472.010(15), RSMo 2000, and that, therefore, she lacked standing to bring a motion to remove Mr.”
Taylor v. Taylor, 47 S.W.3d 377 (Mo. Ct. App. 2001). “” Section 472.010(15), RSMo, however defines “interested persons” and is made applicable to Chapter 475 by § 474.”
Est. of Sturmfels v. Frederick, 261 S.W.3d 559 (Mo. Ct. App. 2008). “Sturmfels was not an interested person in Protectee’s conserva-torship estate as defined in Section 472.010(15), because Section 475.”
Matter of Walker, 875 S.W.2d 147 (Mo. Ct. App. 1994). “§ 472.010(15) RSMo 1986. Section 472.010(15) contains a caveat that this definition “may vary at different stages and different parts of a proceeding and must be determined according to the particular purpose and matter involved.”
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(16) — 5 cases
In re Brockmire, 424 S.W.3d 445 (Mo. 2014).
Mercantile Trust Co. v. Davis, 522 S.W.2d 798 (Mo. 1975).
Goulding v. Bank of Am., N.A., 340 S.W.3d 114 (Mo. Ct. App. 2010).
Mercantile Trust Co. Nat'l Ass'n v. Brown, 468 S.W.2d 8 (Mo. 1971).
In the Matter of Lonnie Brockmire (Mo. 2014).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(19) — 1 case
State Ex Rel. O'Connell v. Crandall, 562 S.W.2d 746 (Mo. Ct. App. 1978).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(22) — 2 cases
In re Brockmire, 424 S.W.3d 445 (Mo. 2014).
In the Matter of Lonnie Brockmire (Mo. 2014).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(24) — 1 case
Winkler v. Duvall, 178 S.W.3d 617 (Mo. Ct. App. 2005).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(25) — 1 case
Ryan Ex Rel. Est. of Reece v. Reece, 31 S.W.3d 82 (Mo. Ct. App. 2000).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(26) — 6 cases
Est. of Brown v. Fulp, 718 S.W.2d 588 (Mo. Ct. App. 1986).
Campbell v. Campbell, 929 S.W.2d 757 (Mo. Ct. App. 1996).
Myers v. Scott, 789 S.W.2d 802 (Mo. Ct. App. 1990).
Cook v. Barnard, 100 S.W.3d 924 (Mo. Ct. App. 2003).
In the Est. of: Anna Lois Tyner (Mo. Ct. App. 2024).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(3) — 13 cases
Hartog v. Siegler, 615 S.W.2d 632 (Mo. Ct. App. 1981).
In the Est. of ROSETTA F. KEEN, LOUIE R. KEEN v. AMBER J. WOLFE, individually & as Pers. Rep. of the Est. of Rosetta F. Keen, & CYNTHIA A. KEEN, Respondents-Respondents., 488 S.W.3d 73 (Mo. Ct. App. 2016).
State Ex Rel. Dep't of Soc. Servs. v. Bowling, 743 S.W.2d 74 (Mo. 1988).
Campbell v. Campbell, 929 S.W.2d 757 (Mo. Ct. App. 1996).
Consol. Grain & Barge, Co. v. Hobbs, 397 S.W.3d 467 (Mo. Ct. App. 2013).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(30) — 1 case
Reynolds v. Cent. Health Care Centers, Inc., 669 S.W.2d 74 (Mo. Ct. App. 1984).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(4) — 2 cases
State Ex Rel. Emmons v. Hollenbeck, 394 S.W.2d 82 (Mo. Ct. App. 1965).
Strumberg v. Mercantile Trust Co., 367 S.W.2d 535 (Mo. 1963).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(5) — 9 cases
In the Est. of ROSETTA F. KEEN, LOUIE R. KEEN v. AMBER J. WOLFE, individually & as Pers. Rep. of the Est. of Rosetta F. Keen, & CYNTHIA A. KEEN, Respondents-Respondents., 488 S.W.3d 73 (Mo. Ct. App. 2016).
Lehr v. Collier, 909 S.W.2d 717 (Mo. Ct. App. 1995).
Jones v. State, 565 S.W.3d 704 (Mo. Ct. App. 2018).
First Christian Church of Dexter v. Leazenby, 551 S.W.2d 944 (Mo. Ct. App. 1977).
Brams Trust v. Haydon, 266 S.W.3d 300 (Mo. Ct. App. 2008).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(6) — 2 cases
Crigler v. Frame, 632 S.W.2d 94 (Mo. Ct. App. 1982).
In re the Est. of Vester, 4 S.W.3d 575 (Mo. Ct. App. 1999).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(7) — 1 case
Godsy v. Godsy, 531 S.W.2d 547 (Mo. Ct. App. 1975).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(8) — 1 case
Zimmerman v. Preuss, 725 S.W.2d 876 (Mo. 1987).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(9) — 2 cases
David Broy v. Diane Broy (Mo. Ct. App. 2024).
Vena Sue Pentecost, Plaintiff-respondent v. Michael Webster, & Richard L. Pentecost (Mo. Ct. App. 2023).
— Mo. Rev. Stat. § 472.010(H) — 1 case
Bosworth v. Sewell, 918 S.W.2d 773 (Mo. 1996).
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.