(a) The surviving spouse may elect to take his or her elective share in the augmented estate by filing in the court and mailing or delivering to the personal representative, if any, a petition for the elective share in any designated fraction not in excess of one-half or, in the absence of any such designation, of one-half of the augmented estate within nine months after the date of death or within six months after the probate of the decedent's will, whichever time limitation last expires. Nonprobate transfers described in section 30-2314(a)(1) shall not be included within the augmented estate for the purpose of computing the elective share if the petition is filed later than one year after death. The court may extend the time for election as it sees fit for cause shown by the surviving spouse before the time for election has expired.

(b) The surviving spouse shall give notice of the time and place set for hearing to persons interested in the estate and to the distributees and recipients of portions of the augmented estate whose interests will be adversely affected by the taking of the elective share.

(c) The surviving spouse may withdraw his or her demand for an elective share at any time before entry of a final determination by the court.

(d) After notice and hearing, the court shall determine the amount of the elective share and shall order its payment from the assets of the augmented estate or by contribution as appears appropriate under section 30-2319. If it appears that a fund or property included in the augmented estate has not come into the possession of the personal representative, or has been distributed by the personal representative, the court nevertheless shall fix the liability of any person who has any interest in the fund or property or who has possession thereof, whether as trustee or otherwise. The proceeding may be maintained against fewer than all persons against whom relief could be sought, but no person is subject to contribution in any greater amount than he or she would have been if relief had been secured against all persons subject to contribution.

(e) The order or judgment of the court may be enforced as necessary in suit for contribution or payment in other courts of this state or other jurisdictions.

Annotations

A surviving spouse elects to take a share in the augmented estate when a petition for the elective share is filed in the county court that has probate jurisdiction and is served on the estate's personal representative, if any. In re Estate of Stephenson, 243 Neb. 890, 503 N.W.2d 540 (1993).

If a surviving spouse dies after filing a petition for an elective share pursuant to section 30-2315 and this section, the proceeding to enforce the spouse's election as a vested right may be revived by the personal representative of the estate of the spouse who has made the election but who has died before distribution of property pursuant to the elective share. In re Estate of Stephenson, 243 Neb. 890, 503 N.W.2d 540 (1993).