Registrar outlines probate fee changes from LD 505 and court-recording upgrade; commissioners approve $2,200 repainting of probate public area

Registrar Robin Simmons told commissioners on June 3 that LD 505 (recent state legislation) increases several probate fees and adds some new fees that the office had historically not charged, and she outlined other procedural changes that affect the registry of probate.

Simmons said the statute raises the docket surcharge from $10 to $15 and creates a $150 fee for full settlement of estates, and that the Legislature lowered the consent age for adoptees from 14 to 12. She also said the law includes an affidavit requirement for parties who used artificial intelligence to prepare documents filed pro se. Simmons said attorneys already e-file; pro se users can file via mainprobate.net, and the office is standardizing internal procedures. She told commissioners the office is “fully staffed” with a first-week orientation for new staff and that moving to more electronic filings should reduce paper volumes.

Simmons also reported the probate office is obtaining quotes to upgrade the court-recording and AV system that is aging and sometimes unreliable; those upgrades will be funded from the probate surcharge fund. She said vendors returned estimates; the registrar and IT will coordinate to ensure compatibility and follow procurement rules.

Separately, the commission considered two quotes to repaint the front public area of the probate registry and other small building painting items. After discussion about procurement and in-house capability, the commission approved a motion authorizing up to $2,200 for repainting the probate public area; the vote was unanimous of those present. Commissioners said larger projects may require formal procurement and coordination with facilities management.

Why it matters: LD 505 changes create new and higher fees that the probate office must begin collecting and adds procedural requirements (AI affidavit). The recording-system upgrade addresses an aging audio/visual system used for court records and will use surcharge funds.