Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B § 3-104
No proceeding to enforce a claim against the estate of a decedent or a decedent's successors may be revived or commenced before the appointment of a personal representative. After the appointment and until distribution, all proceedings and actions to enforce a claim against the estate are governed by the procedure prescribed by this article. After distribution a creditor whose claim has not been barred may recover from the distributees as provided in section 3-1004 or from a former personal representative individually liable as provided in section 3-1005. This section has no application to a proceeding by a secured creditor of the decedent to enforce a right to the security except as to any deficiency judgment which might be sought therein.
Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 190B, § 3-104