S.C. Code Ann. § 62-3-203 – Priority among persons seeking appointment as personal representative

(a) Whether the proceedings are formal or informal, persons who are not disqualified have priority for appointment in the following order:
1. (1) the person with priority as determined by a probated will including a person nominated by a power conferred in a will;
2. (2) the surviving spouse of the decedent who is a devisee of the decedent;
3. (3) other devisees of the decedent;
4. (4) the surviving spouse of the decedent;
5. (5) other heirs of the decedent regardless of whether the decedent died intestate and determined as if the decedent died intestate (for the purposes of determining priority under this item, any heirs who could have qualified under items (1), (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (a) are treated as having predeceased the decedent);
6. (6) forty-five days after the death of the decedent, any creditor;
7. (7) four months after the death of the decedent, upon application by the South Carolina Department of Revenue, a person suitable to the court.
8. (8) Unless a contrary intent is expressed in the decedent's will, a person with priority under subsection (a) may nominate another, who shall have the same priority as the person making the nomination, except that a person nominated by the testator to serve as personal representative or successor personal representative shall have a higher priority than a person nominated pursuant to this item.
(b) An objection to an appointment can be made only in formal proceedings. In case of objection the priorities stated in (a) apply except that:
1. (1) if the estate appears to be more than adequate to meet exemptions and costs of administration but inadequate to discharge anticipated unsecured claims, the court, on petition of creditors, may appoint any qualified person;
2. (2) in case of objection to appointment of a person other than one whose priority is determined by will by an heir or devisee appearing to have a substantial interest in the estate, the court may appoint a person who is acceptable to heirs and devisees whose interests in the estate appear to be worth in total more than half of the probable distributable value or, in default of this accord, any suitable person.
(c) Conservators of the estates of protected persons or, if there is no conservator, any guardian except a guardian ad litem of a minor or incapacitated person may exercise the same right to be appointed as personal representative, to object to another's appointment, or to participate in determining the preference of a majority in interest of the heirs and devisees that the protected person or ward would have if qualified for appointment.
(d) Appointment of one who does not have priority may be made in formal or informal proceedings. Before appointing one without priority, the court must determine that those having priority, although given notice of the proceedings, have failed to request appointment or to nominate another for appointment, and that administration is necessary.
(e) No person is qualified to serve as a personal representative who is:
1. (1) under the age of eighteen;
2. (2) a person whom the court finds unsuitable in formal proceedings;
3. (3) with respect to the estate of any person domiciled in this State at the time of his death, a corporation created by another state of the United States or by any foreign state, kingdom or government, or a corporation created under the laws of the United States and not having a business in this State, or an officer, employee, or agent of such foreign corporation, whether the officer, employee, or agent is a resident or a nonresident of this State, if such officer, employee, or agent is acting as personal representative on behalf of such corporation;
4. (4) a probate judge for an estate of any person within his jurisdiction, except as provided in Section 62-3-1202A.
(f) A personal representative appointed by a court of the decedent's domicile has priority over all other persons except where the decedent's will nominates different persons to be personal representatives in this State and in the state of domicile. The domiciliary personal representative may nominate another, who shall have the same priority as the domiciliary personal representative.
(g) This section governs priority for appointment of a successor personal representative but does not apply to the selection of a special administrator.
(h) If it comes to the knowledge of a probate judge that any person within his jurisdiction has died leaving an estate upon which no application has been made for appointment or no personal representative appointed or no will offered for probate or appointment granted, he must, immediately after the lapse of four months from the death of such person, notify the South Carolina Department of Revenue thereof together with his opinion as to whether or not any part of the estate is likely to be taxable.