Liens and mortgages, enforcement; sale of real estate; exception

Sec. 16. Unless an earlier date is authorized by the judge of the court having jurisdiction of the decedent's estate no proceedings shall be instituted before the end of three (3) months from the death of the decedent to enforce the lien of any judgment rendered against the decedent in his lifetime upon real estate or to enforce any decree specifically directing the sale of such real estate to discharge any lien or liability created or suffered by the decedent, nor shall any suit be brought before that time against the heirs or devisees of the deceased to foreclose any mortgage or other lien thereon; and in case of suit to foreclose any mortgage or other lien thereon, the personal representative shall be made a party defendant thereto; and if the personal representative shall be diligently prosecuting his proceedings to sell the real estate of the deceased for the purpose of making assets to discharge such liens, further proceedings for the sale thereof by the holders of liens thereon shall be stayed, upon the application of the personal representative. This section does not apply to cases where, before the end of the three (3) months, the real estate shall have been sold by the personal representative subject to liens thereon, nor to mortgages and judgments in favor of the state.