Erm probates Or rather procedure on death because probate is proving a will, in the Latin if there's no will it's letters of administration which is a similar procedure, except that the will speaks from death and therefore your appointment of the executors is effective from death and therefore your appointment of executors is effective from death, they can do certain things even before they've proven the will Which administrators can't do cos they don't have the power until they've proved that they're the people entitled.