Tompkins County Court

Surrogate's Court

• A certified death certificate is required in all new estates.
• A family tree is required in all new estates.
• If corrections are required, the original documents will not be returned. The corrections may be made by either submitting an affidavit of correction or submitting a new, amended, document.
• The use of an a/k/a for all parties is necessary when the papers reveal a discrepancy in the name for a particular individual. For example, this can occur when a middle initial is used one place and a middle name is used in another place, or when an individual's name has been changed.
• The venue of all acknowledgments must indicate the proper state and county where a document was signed and notarized.
• Decrees which comply with the Statewide official Surrogate's Court Forms will be prepared by the Clerk's office. For Orders and Decrees seeking specific relief, parties should submit proposed Orders and Decrees to the Court.