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Help desk among changes at Judge Stomer’s probate court
BENJAMIN WHITE
Associate Editor
Published: February 14, 2013
Only a month after Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer assumed control of the Summit County Probate Court, new help desk and mediation programs have joined the court’s fresh faces and furnishings in updating the often-avoided corner of the courthouse.
The free information desk, staffed by two private attorneys paid through the court’s budget, provides guidance in simple estate transfers, probate forms, name changes and other minor matters. Judge Stormer stressed that the pilot program will not aim to take on problems normally handled by a lawyer.
“We’re not doing wills. This is if you have a simple issue with a probate-related matter and you’re never going to hire a lawyer, primarily because of the value of what you want to do,” she said.
“I think it’s kind of a win-win situation.”
The judge reiterated that a case involving little value could be very complex, and a case involving a great sum of money could be very straightforward. The help desk attorneys determine if the case is too complex for their services on an individual basis.
Judge Stormer, who began campaigning for the creation of such a resource when she ran for probate judge four years ago, said she looked toward a similar, “mature” program at the Summit County Juvenile Court when conducting initial research. The duo working the desk, Akron attorneys Beverly Rose and Andrea Norris, work 10 hours per week at $50 an hour.
In its first day, Judge Stormer said the help desk stayed busy with walk-ins, and Rose and Norris scheduled several appointments for future clients. The court plans to post the most frequently asked questions at the help desk onto its revamped website in the future.
A mediation program also kicked off recently, helping resolve disputes like who should be deemed an administrator.
During her first month as probate judge, Judge Stormer has spoken to the state health department about the growing elder abuse epidemic, to hospital staff on advanced directives and to nursing home representatives regarding the appointment of legal guardians.
“I see this first six months as an opportunity to reach out to the public and see what needs we can really help them with,” she said.
Judge Stormer, who last worked in probate law as a young associate attorney and clerk before becoming a municipal and common pleas judge, said she still needs time to fully familiarize herself with the myriad forms and excruciatingly detailed procedures of the probate court.
Along with new leather chairs in the probate courtroom, Judge Stormer has replaced court reporters with a digital recording system. In the future, she said she hopes to upgrade the court’s increasingly obsolete computers and outdated case filing system. Though the court has funds available for the inevitable overhaul, Judge Stormer did not rule out fee increases to support the project after she conducts a study of technology and staffing needs.
The court’s staff is currently evaluating its stash of decorations and unused equipment, including 27 hand-wound wall clocks. Judge Stormer hopes to have the more valuable items appraised in anticipation of a future auction.
The probate help desk is located adjacent to the Clerk’s Office on the first floor of the Summit County Court Building and open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome, but appoints are preferred. Anyone can make an appointment or find more information by calling (330) 643-2323. Though the help desk is free, filing fees remain applicable.