Surrogates Practice

Surrogate’s Practice will provide students with a unique opportunity to learn the inner workings of the Surrogate’s Court through the administration of a fictional estate. The course will cover the substantive and procedural law of Probate proceedings for testate estates, Administration proceedings for intestate estates, and several aspects of estate administration, including the disposition of claims filed against an estate and the commencement of certain Miscellaneous proceedings. Students will be responsible for attending lectures and drafting pleadings and/or motion papers attendant to the fictional estate. The papers submitted by the students will be evaluated by actual court personnel. Students will have the opportunity to meet and interact with members of the Court’s legal and clerical staffs. Additionally, the students will have the opportunity to attend the Court’s calendar calls, conferences with attorneys and litigants and, if scheduled, hearings and/or trials. This course provides an excellent opportunity for students who have an interest in becoming general litigation practitioners as well as Surrogate’s Court practice specialists. Due to the significant “hands on” experience the students will receive in this “workshop,” course enrollment is limited to 15 students. Due to the limited enrollment, a preference will be given to students who have completed Wills, Intestate Succession & Trusts - Law 701