Nassau County Surrogate's Court - Information, Address and Departments (2024)

Nassau County Surrogate’s Court deals with estates, trusts, guardianships and adoptions of people who reside or have property in Nassau County, New York.

Address

262 Old Country Road
Mineola, New York 11501
Main Phone: (516) 493-3800
Main Fax: (516) 571-2997

Phone Number Directory

Hours of Work for Nassau County Surrogate Court

Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Keep in mind that many clerks leave early at the end of the day, and can be on a break during lunchtime. Also, trying to file things at the end of the day is not a good idea, especially on a Friday.

The court is closed on all stateholidays.

Judge of Nassau County Surrogate’s Court

Hon. Margaret C. Reilly.Nassau County Surrogate Judge. She is very tough but fair. She is a seeker of justice and is committed to the people of Nassau County. Her prior work includes Nassau County attorney and village prosecutor of Steward Manor. She has a staff of clerks who help her analyze cases and conduct pre-trial, scheduling and settlement conferences.

Lesli P. Hiller, Esq., Law Clerk
516-493-3801

Mr. Hiller really shines during the Nassau County Surrogate’s Court calendar call. He does the scheduling and logistics. He helps the court and attorneys get through the calendar and get things done.

Lori Muscarella, Secretary
516-493-3801
Fax: 516-493-3382

Nassau County Surrogate’s Court is on what we call “the balcony” of the Nassau County Courthouse. It is located on the 3rd Floor. The Surrogate’s Court Clerk is on the same side, which includes the clerks of the Probate Department, Administration Department, Miscellaneous Department and other departments. There is no room number for the courtroom, but it does have a “Surrogate’s Court” sign.

Kathy Moran is the Nassau County Surrogate’s Court calendar clerk. You can email her to get your case on the calendar or for any calendar questions. She answers her email promptly. To get her email address, you’ll have to call the calendar department.

Nassau County Surrogate Court Departments

Nassau County Surrogate’s Court deals through its various departments with the following matters:

Probate – this department handles estate proceedings involving a will. That’s why some people call it “Nassau County Probate Court.” Most probate proceedings are uncontested – the person who brings in the will (the proponent) submits the will, has their long island estate lawyer fill out the appropriate paperwork and files the original will in the Nassau County Surrogate’s Court, together with a petition, original death certificate, funeral bill and accompanying affidavits and notices. The court will set a date for the hearing on the probate of the will, and if no one appears then the court will grant the probate. If someone does appear, then the estate is contested and the examinations of the attesting witnesses and the attorney-draftsman of the will are scheduled and the cases go on a contested track. In Nassau County, Petitions to Compel Production of a Will are handled by the Probate Department.

Estate Administration – this department handles estates where the person who died did not have a will. The person who is the closest relative of the deceased is appointed as the administrator of their estate. If the decedent is survived by a spouse, the spouse is usually appointed as the administrator. If no spouse, then children. And so on.

Guardianship – this department handles Guardianships. There are two kinds of guardianships – those involving a mentally disabled (special needs) minor (those guardianships are known as 17-a), and guardianships of older adults who have become mentally incompetent due to some sort of illness (this is known as Mental Health Law Article 81 guardianships)

Adoptions – Nassau County Surrogate’s Court also handles adoptions, whether of regular adoptions, step-parent and family adoptions and adoptions from foreign countries, involving both infants and older children.

Record Room – Records are available on the computers located in the record room and on the computer. It is not possible to access those records online through the internet without an attorney account.

You can request information about an estate from the Nassau County Surrogate’s Court by writingthem a letter with the correct legal name of the person who died, and include a check for $30 made out to Nassau County County Surrogate’s Court, and either a return stamped envelope or your email address to receive the information.

Accountings – Nassau County Surrogate’s Court handles accountings filed by executors and administrators of estates and trustees of trusts. Accountings are usually compelled by beneficiaries interested in the trust or an estate, through a Miscellaneous proceeding.

Miscellaneous Proceedings – Nassau County Surrogate’s Court also handles other proceedings, such determining kinship in an estate that has distant relatives, advice and direction, compel fiduciary to account, compel the production of a will or a trust, proceedings by a Long Island fiduciary to discover property, proceeding to remove executor, proceeding to remove administrator, proceeding to remove trustee, proceeding by fiduciary of estate to discover property, etc. Fees for those proceedings can be found here.

The Nassau County Surrogate’s Court features a spacious and well-apportioned courtroom, decorated with framed photos and paintings of prior Surrogate Judges, and is topped by oversized chandeliers with a customized “scales of justice” imprint. It is currently painted in a light-blue motif.

If you need an attorney for Nassau County Surrogate’s Court, call Albert Goodwin, Esq.,a New York estate, guardianship, wills, trust and probate lawyerwith over a decade of experience. You can call Albert Goodwin, Esq. at (516) 777-0647.