Probate is NOT required if title was held as

• A. Tenants in common
• B. Partnership
• C. Joint tenants
• D. Joint partners

Answer: (B)

Probate is avoided when ownership is structured so that title passes automatically at death. If real property is held by a partnership, the property belongs to the partnership entity rather than to individuals. When a partner dies, the deed to the property does not transfer to the heirs or through the deceased’s will; instead, the partnership continues and the deceased partner’s interest is handled under the partnership agreement (often bought out by surviving partners). Because the real property remains titled in the partnership, its transfer doesn’t require probate to convey the property itself.

With tenancy in common, the deceased’s fractional interest would go through probate to be distributed to heirs, since there’s no automatic survivorship. With joint tenancy, the surviving owners automatically acquire the deceased’s interest by right of survivorship, bypassing probate. The idea of “joint partners” isn’t a standard form of title in this context, so it doesn’t fit the typical probate-avoidance framework.