Probate Court has a productive year

By Judge Luann Cooperrider

I come to you as your elected Perry County Common Pleas Court Probate and Juvenile Division Judge where it is my privilege to present the 2018 Progress Report for your review.

The Perry County Probate Court serves citizens in many different ways; and although one might often think the Court is the place to go to file a will or get a marriage license, in actuality, the Court is involved in many other aspects of an individual’s life.

As the Probate Judge, I am aware that when the good people of this county and families from all over come to the Probate Court, they have suffered a loss or are facing a problem with care of a family member, my staff and I are there to assist them.

The Probate Court has jurisdiction over guardianships. A guardianship is filed by someone seeking to obtain guardianship over an individual who may be suffering from a physical or mental impairment. If granted, the guardian will seek to make good decision on the behalf of the individual and or handle their finances.

When a person is granted a guardianship, they must make annual reports to the Court as to their contact with the ward (person they are caring for) and the distribution of the funds of the ward. They must at all times make decisions in the best interest of the ward.

In 2018, we had 47 guardianships filed with the Court. The new laws we were required to implement pertaining to guardianships of incompetent individuals has required even more diligence on the part of the Court as well as the appointed guardians. The 47 new filings in 2018 are in addition to the 149 the Court already manages, bringing the total to guardianships on file at the end of 2018 to 196.

In 2018, there were 179 estates opened in the Probate Court. Five of those filings were re-opened estates that were closed previously. Re-opens are usually done to report and administer a newly discovered asset. We have Full Administrations, Release from Administrations and Summary Releases.

What is filed in regards to an estate depends on the value of the assets and the relationship of the applicant to the deceased. Although we are finding more and more people are interested in doing estate planning to insure proper transfer and to protect loved ones to whom they wish to leave their assets.

Adoptions are by far are the most rewarding cases filed in the Probate Court. In 2018, there were 15 adoptions filed with the Probate Court. These cases come from Children Service, step-parents, grandparents as well as other relative and non-relative filings.

It is always rewarding to see a child receive a permanent stable family, no matter the circumstances. This year the Court participated in National Adoption Week celebration in conjunction with Perry County Children Services with cake and balloons.

The Probate Court also receives several different kinds of cases. In 2018, there were 26 guardianships, four civils, 15 name changes, seven minor settlement, two structured settlement purchases, five registration/corrections of births, as well as two other miscellaneous case filings.

Marriage licenses are a daily part of the Probate Court business. There were 219 marriage licenses issued by the Probate Court in 2018, and in 31 of those issued by the Court, Judge Luann Cooperrider performed the wedding ceremonies.

With the epidemic of drug addiction the court would like the public to be aware that there is a process that allows a family to file in the Probate Court, seeking to have an adult family member committed for court-ordered treatment for drugs and alcohol.

My concern, as the Probate Judge, is community awareness. I am not sure that this law has been publicized enough to alert families of the opportunity available to them. While it is quite a cumbersome process of paperwork, it is still something the court is more than happy to assist a family with.

In total the Perry County Probate Court accepted 494 newly filed cases in 2018 and brought in revenue of $53,030.99; approximately $2,500.00 more than was collected the year prior.

Another requirement of the Probate Court is to form a Park Board. Several years ago I held a public hearing and we determined Perry County would benefit from having a Park Board. We established the board, which is still in existence today; members include Steve Glade, Scott Moore, Theressa Snyder, Jenny Larue and Matt Reed.

A county that has a valid Park Board may seek grants or receive funds as a benefactor in a charitable contribution through wills or other bequests. It has always been my desire and that of the Park Board to promote parks and recreation in and around Perry County.

If you would like to be involved in this process or have other ideas or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact me or any of the Park Board members. The Park Board meets the second Tuesday of every month at the Perry Behavioral Health Activity Center and is currently working on opportunities to promote the beautiful parks and recreation of Perry County.

The Probate Court also assists the public with genealogical research. Some researchers come to the office, some mail requests, some call in for information but most are now received via e-mail. Through this service the Probate Court is able to serve people from all over the United States and some foreign countries. The e-mail for those interested is: pcpro@perrycountycourt.com.

Ohio has enacted a form called Advanced Directives. This form contains Living Wills and Durable Powers of Attorney for Healthcare. The Court has been providing this service to the public by making available forms to create Living Wills and Health Care Power of Attorneys for a nominal fee. As with all other filings in Probate Court, our office can only provide the necessary forms but cannot provide any legal advice.

Under my direction, the Probate Court staff, Linda Young and Debbie Bender, process all paperwork as dictated by Ohio Law and the Local Rules of the Court. The clerks attend a yearly conference to stay current with proper procedures, laws and any changes. It is their job to track all cases to insure filings are done properly and in a timely manner. All case activity then must be reported quarterly to the Ohio Supreme Court.

This past year was again a busy year for the Perry County Probate Court serving the needs of the people of Perry County. My staff and I are honored to serve the public and consider it a privilege. My staff and I are here to offer any assistance the law permits and are available if you have any questions or concerns.

The Probate Court can be reached by calling 740-342-1493, by e-mail at pcpro@perrycountycourt.com or by writing to: P. O. Box 167, New Lexington, Ohio 43764.

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Probate Court has a productive year