[Amended 11-6-2018]
There shall be a Judge of Probate who shall exercise and perform
the powers and duties of a Probate Court for the Town, who shall be
appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the Town Council to serve
for a term concurrent with the term of the Mayor and until his or
her reappointment or the appointment of a successor approved by the
Town Council.
The Judge of Probate shall be an attorney-at-law in good standing
who has been admitted to the practice of law in this State, and who
is a qualified elector of the Town.
The Town Council shall determine and fix the salary of the Judge
of Probate. The Town Clerk shall be the Clerk of the Probate Court.
The Clerk shall pay all fees and other revenue received by the Probate
Court to the Town Treasurer, on the same day as received, for the
use and benefit of the Town.
Whenever the Judge of Probate Court is a party of or interested
in any proceeding about to be heard in his or her court, or is absent
or unable to perform the duties, or there is a vacancy in such office,
the duties shall be temporarily performed by the Town Solicitor, and
the fact of such interest, absence, inability or vacancy shall be
recorded in the records of said court. If the vacancy has been more
than ninety (90) days, the Town Council by resolution shall appoint
another Judge of Probate to fill out the unexpired term.