Accomplishments

Created a Virtual Registry offered from 9:00a.m. to 12 noon and 2:15p.m. to 4:00p.m. Monday through Friday where the public and lawyers can enter the Virtual Registry through a zoom link and speak with a staff member about their case or obtain court forms and information on how to file a case without making a special trip to the court.

Worked with Barnstable County and Trial Court Officials to obtain more space in the building and to renovate Probate and Family Court space. Plans have been drawn and bids are being obtained to provide more space to better serve court users. This will allow for more privacy to discuss family matters to resolve a case.

Created first website for Barnstable County Probate and Family Court. This site has been continually updated since my first term as Register. It provides improved mobile access for court users, a public link to search the index for certain case dockets and images of case filings, access to court forms, self-help materials, a directory of court staff, and an email address to ask the court questions and a link for the Virtual Registry. Access the court website.

Worked with our Probate and Family Court Chief Justice to add a First Assistant Register and Assistant Register position to the Registry Office. In addition to myself, these additional managers can assist court users and court staff with complex court filings and act on many uncontested court filings to free Judges to hear contested cases and provide timely dates for court hearings.

Established a dedicated email line for the court users to send emergency court filings without making a special trip to court.

Created a Magistrate Walk-in Session by appointment every Wednesday morning for certain types of estate cases where the public or an attorney can leave with Letters of Authority that same day to begin administering an estate.

Partnered with Barnstable County Administrator to provide space at the Barnstable County Court Complex for genetic marker paternity testing. This was vital due to the closure of the Department of Revenue Cape office otherwise so that Barnstable County residents would have to travel to Taunton for this testing.

Established a Guardianship sub-unit in the Registry office to assist persons seeking custody of minor children where the biological parents are unavailable due to substance use disorder, mental health challenges, incarceration or any other issue. Partnered with our Chief of Probation and the Department of Children and Families to refer these caregivers of minor children to the Kinship Navigator Program to help provide information and resources to the caregivers of these children.

Hired a diverse staff of knowledgeable, kind, and compassionate people that speak several languages and that reflect the diversity of our community.

Teamed up with Cape Cod Community College Project Forward and the Riverview School to provide internship opportunities at the court for autistic students.

Worked with local high schools to provide internship opportunities to local students.

Created a program with the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office to provide training to court staff to develop strategies to assist court customers with mental health and or substance use challenges.

Working currently with several public libraries in Barnstable County to help provide access to computers for the public for zoom access to court hearings, forms, and self-help materials.

Developed a partnership with Cape Cod Genealogical Society on a project where volunteers from the society are currently scanning old probate records for the period 1918 through 1950 to provide better access to the public for these and to preserve these historic records.