Nolan Wells' Mom Makes Legal Move Allowing Her To File Potential Lawsuit Over Death

Nolan Wells' mom is laying the legal groundwork to potentially sue over her son's mysterious death ... asking a Mississippi court to put her in charge of his estate.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Christine Wonsley filed a petition Monday to open Nolan's estate and appoint her as its administrator ... saying the estate's assets would consist "solely of claims for damages resulting from the circumstances surrounding his death."

Put simply ... the appointment would give Christine the authority to file a lawsuit on behalf of Nolan's estate if anyone is ultimately found legally responsible for his death.

Christine signed the petition in Jackson County Chancery Court on the same day hundreds gathered for Nolan's funeral.

The filing states 18-year-old Nolan did not have a will, was never married and did not have children ... leaving Christine as his sole heir.

As TMZ previously reported ... Nolan traveled by boat with friends to Horn Island on July 4, but the group returned to the mainland without him. His phone and keys remained aboard the boat, and his body was found along the island's shoreline two days later ... close to his last known location.

Authorities have said they believe Nolan drowned ... though his family continues to question what happened and has launched their own investigation. No official cause of death has been released yet.

A newly surfaced video may show Nolan aboard the boat shortly before he vanished ... potentially making it the final known image of him alive.