The Strengthening Probate Administration Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025 addresses the urgent need to amend the District of Columbia's probate system, which has not been updated since 2001. The resolution highlights the challenges faced by economically vulnerable residents who navigate an outdated and inefficient probate process, particularly affecting small estates pursued by individuals without legal representation. The D.C. Estate Administration Working Group's 2022 report emphasized the necessity for modernization to prevent assets from becoming irretrievable and to alleviate economic uncertainty for residents.

To facilitate the implementation of the recently passed Strengthening Probate Administration Amendment Act of 2024, the emergency resolution proposes several technical amendments. These include restoring previously removed language regarding probate proceedings, allowing the Register of Wills to issue letters of administration, clarifying the applicability of the Act to estates of decedents who died on or after March 21, 2025, and removing references to will admission in the transfer by affidavit section. The Council recognizes the urgency of these amendments to ensure timely access to estate assets and to enable the effective administration of probate, prompting the need for immediate legislative action before the upcoming recess.