The governing body of each county shall provide and the judge of probate shall keep the seal of the probate court, the necessary office equipment of the probate court, and those books as are necessary for keeping the records of the probate court and for reference to these records, including index books, appropriately labeled, referring to the records of the probate court pertaining to:
1. wills;
2. intestate estates;
3. estates of minors and incompetents;
4. bonds;
5. inventories and appraisements;
6. returns or accountings;
7. liens;
8. admissions and commitments to facilities for the care and treatment of mentally ill, persons with intellectual disability, alcoholics, and drug addicts;
9. marriage licenses and marriages;
10. decrees;
11. general or miscellaneous matters.
In addition, the governing body of each county shall provide office space and additional support personnel necessary for the orderly conduct of the business of the probate court.
If the probate court maintains the original of a document in the master file of a matter and a copy of that document on microfilm, a computer system, or on another similar system, it is not necessary for the probate court to maintain a second separate record with copies of those types of documents, provided a general index or an index for those types of documents is maintained.
HISTORY: 1976 Act No. 690 Art. V Section 13; 1987 Act No. 157 Section 1, eff June 8, 1987; 1994 Act No. 412, Section 3, eff May 25, 1994.