Kent County probate court highlights guardianship work and oversight gaps amid public complaints

Kaylee Gashow, probate register and administrator for the Kent County Probate Court, told the Kent County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 27 that the court saw a sharp rise in new filings in recent years and described the county's public guardianship program and oversight practices.

Gashow said the Probate Court had 6,355 new case filings in 2024, a 42 percent increase from earlier years, and 14,248 active cases overall. She said the court added an additional judgeship in recent years, which helped double hearings and allowed staff to keep pace with the caseload.

"Our mission at the Kent County Probate Court is to provide an accessible and person centered venue to secure the peaceful, sound, and efficient resolution of matters where every individual is treated with dignity and respect," Gashow said during a roughly 45-minute presentation that covered court projects, a mental-health summit and a program to convert records to electronic files.

Why it matters: Probate courts manage guardianships and conservatorships that can remove or limit individuals' legal and financial autonomy. County funding and the court's operational capacity affect how quickly cases are reviewed and how closely guardians are supervised.

Rising need and program structure Gashow said the court runs a public guardianship program that places "public guardians" with adult residents who have no family or friends willing to serve. She said the program had 255 new guardian requests in 2024 and that…