Before you can wade in and start dividing up someone's estate, you need to get permission from a court. This applies to both Executors and Administrators. You need to apply to a court for a grant of probate. When granted this gives the executor the authority to manage the deceased's estate. Exact requirements may be different for different states but generally to obtain a probate you will need to produce:

• A death certificate or some other proof of death.
• A newspaper ad' publicising the death. Thus giving anyone one with a later copy of the will the chance to produce it.
• Details of the assets and liabilities.
• The will.