Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphans Court
| Wendy Yaros Register of Wills & Clerk of Orphan's Court (elected) E-mail: Click Here 500 West Main St Smethport, PA 16749 |
Shellie Blauser First Deputy |
Tammy Hauck Second Deputy Phone: 814-887-3260 |
MARRIAGE LICENSE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY PLEASE CALL 814-887-3260
Mission Statement:
The mission of the Register of Wills and Clerk of Orphans' Court office is to provide services of probate proceedings, inheritance tax payments, and marriage licenses, assist in genealogy requests and research, record Orphans' Court proceedings, including the filing of required adoption and guardian documents. This office strives to provide these services to the public in an efficient, prompt and courteous manner.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Performs the service of probating wills, administering oaths to executors and administrators and issues certificates of appointment; collects probate fees, issues receipts and files inventories of probate assets.
- Files inheritance appraisements and acts as an agent for collection of inheritance taxes for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; issues appropriate inheritance tax payment receipts and transmits to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue; receives inheritance tax collections commissions (routed to the county treasurer).
- Prepares and reports the inheritance tax collection payments to the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue monthly.
- Files and records certified and exemplified copies of probate proceedings for resident and non-resident decedents.
- Prepares county reports monthly; disburses monies to the county treasurer and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; issues checks; bank statement reconciliations; judicial computer fee collection for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and monthly collection reports; collection and accounting of all monies received by office; prepares and forwards newspaper accounts(probate); prepares yearly departmental budgets.
- Addresses genealogy requests and research.
- Prepares monthly statements for attorneys, banks, abstractors and individuals.
- Receives marriage applications, prepares marriage licenses, issues payment receipts.
- Files the First and Final Accounts for the Orphan's Court and delivers to the judge.
- Files the necessary paperwork for adoptions.
- Files the necessary paperwork for the appointment of guardians and delivers to the judge.
- Files and records Orphans' Court proceedings.
- Prepares county and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania reports monthly and disburses the monies accordingly.