Rule Text
A report of a referee in probate shall substantially comply with the form that accompanies this rule.
Amendment history: Report November 9, 2001, effective February 15, 2002; Court Order December 12, 2019, temporarily effective December 12, 2019, permanently effective February 11, 2020] [Court Order November 14, 1979; December 3, 1981; November 14, 1984, effective November 26, 1984; Report September 5, 1985, effective November 15, 1985; February 18, 1987, effective July 1, 1987; September 23, 1994, effective January 3, 1995; November 9, 2001, effective February 15, 2002; July 23, 2003, effective October 1, 2003; November 30, 2005, effective March 1, 2006; April 11, 2008, effective July 1, 2008; May 23, 2014, effective August 16, 2014; December 12, 2019, temporarily effective December 12, 2019, permanently effective February 11, 2020; December 17, 2021; February 24, 2022, temporarily effective February 24, 2022; permanently effective April 26, 2022
Plain-English Summary (for reference only — not a substitute for the rule text above)
This summary is not the rule. The rule text controls.
When a referee is appointed to handle part of a probate case, they must write up their findings in a report. This report needs to follow the standard form that comes with this rule. The referee can't create their own format or leave out key sections. They need to stick closely to the official template.
This matters because probate courts rely on consistent paperwork to review what happened and make decisions. If a referee's report looks completely different from what the court expects, it could cause confusion or delays. Following the standard form helps judges, attorneys, and family members quickly understand what the referee found and recommended.
For anyone involved in a probate case where a referee was appointed, this rule means you should expect to see a report in a familiar, standardized layout. If you're the referee, you need to make sure your report matches this required format substantially, though it doesn't have to match word for word.
