Will my mother have to pay my deceased father's back medical bill from 1.5 years ago?
Question Details: His estate has not been processed in probate yet. The bills are in his name and my mother never guaranteed them.
If your mother files a petition for probate, the medical bill creditor can file a creditor claim which your mother can reject and which may end up being resolved by negotiation. Maybe the creditor will not file a creditor claim; then she does not have to pay the medical bill.
Once your mother files a petition for probate of your father's estate, all creditors will have an opportunity to file a claim withint certain period of time (depending on the state probate laws). Your mother, as an executor of the estate, will be able to reject creditor's claim, in which case the issue will most likely be resolved through probate litigation. If the creditor misses the deadline to file a claim, then your mother will not have to pay that bill.
