Probate is the legal process of transferring property upon a person's death. The probate process is court-supervised designed to ensure that a person's will is followed and that all claims against their estate are satisfied. Today, most people seek to avoid the probate process because there is a desire to avoid the expense and length of the process. However, the probate process exists to protect the rights of all parties involved and is sometimes unavoidable. The basic process of probating an estate involves the appointment of the Executor or Administrator (if there is no will). That person is the representative of the estate and is then responsible for collecting the assets of the deceased person, paying all debts, claims and taxes owed by the estate, settling any disputes and distributing the remaining property to the heirs.