If you are named as an Executor and you do not want to accept, you can decline. If you know that you will not, under any circumstances, want to serve as Executor it is much kinder to be honest with your friend or family member right away, rather than allowing them to spend time and money creating documents that place you in a role that you won’t accept.
If, at the time of the person’s death, you are unable to accept the appointment as Executor, you may be able to decline by informing the family or the estate attorney that you do not wish to serve and then a probate judge will not be asked to appoint you. In some cases you may need to file a document with the court to state that you respectfully decline appointment.