In Massachusetts only an “interested person” can object to a will being probated. Who qualifies as an “interested person” is determined by G. L. c. 190B, Sec. 1-201. The definition includes,
heirs, devisees, children, spouses, creditors, beneficiaries, and any others having a property right in or claims against a trust estate or the estate of a decedent, ward, or protected person. It also includes persons having priority for appointment as personal representative, and other fiduciaries representing interested persons. The meaning as it relates to particular persons may vary from time to time and shall be determined according to the particular purposes of, and matter involved in, any proceeding.
Additionally, Massachusetts case law has emphasized that anyone objecting to a decedent’s will
must show that they have a definite interest in the matter being litigated such that their rights will be significantly affected by a resolution of the contested point.
Caputo v. Moulton, 102 Mass. App. Ct. 251, 258 (2023)
The judge alone determines whether an objector is an “interested person” with standing to challenge the will’s validity.