Davis v. Mandekic (In re Estate of Kerkorian)

*81*713Probate Code section 11704 requires an executor to obtain court permission before taking sides in a proceeding to determine who is entitled to a distribution of estate assets. We are asked to decide whether the probate court complied with the statute's requirements when it allowed the executor of Kirk Kerkorian's (Kerkorian's) estate to oppose a petition filed by Kerkorian's former wife seeking a third of her late husband's assets.

I. BACKGROUND

Kerkorian executed a will in July 2013 to govern the distribution of his substantial assets upon his death. On March 30, 2014, Kerkorian married…