Queen Anne's County Register of Wills
ABOUT THE OFFICE: The Register of Wills keeps records of wills and estates, collects inheritance taxes, and acts as clerk to the Orphans’ Court. The Register of Wills is authorized to oversee the administration of decedents’ estates and to provide assistance to people administering estates. The State of Maryland pays the operating costs of this office.TERM: Four years with no term limitsSALARY: $134,899 per year for the upcoming four-year term
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Laura Nan Cook
(Rep)
QUALIFICATIONS: What experience and qualifications prepare you to serve as Register of Wills?
CUSTOMER SERVICE AND PUBLIC ACCESS: How will you ensure respectful, helpful, and timely customer service for people navigating wills and probate?
TECHNOLOGY: How would you use technology to improve efficiency and provide timely, secure access to wills and probate records?
PUBLIC EDUCATION: What initiatives would you implement to educate the public and ensure people have clear information and access to assistance?
In my 27 years in the office, I've held many positions and have served as your Register of Wills for the last 12 years. In that time, I've gained extensive institutional knowledge of Maryland probate policies and procedures. My office is known as a trusted resource for the public and for attorneys who call with procedural questions related to administering estates in Maryland. We are service-oriented and take pride in the skills that allow us to quickly identify the needs of the public we serve.
The Office of the Register of Wills is a state agency and despite the telework trend of many state agencies since the pandemic, the Q.A. Co. office remains fully staffed and ready to help. My role and that of my staff is to serve the public. We go above and beyond to ensure that the immediate needs of a family member are met after the death of a loved one. We stay open through lunch and when someone calls with questions during work hours, they speak to me or a member of my staff, not a machine.
Each county in Maryland has a dedicated page on the Registers' statewide website @ www.registers.maryland.gov. The site offers a plethora of state agency information as well as resources unique to that county. A most valuable feature is a user-friendly database of Maryland estates that updates daily and gives the user the option to order estate documents through an on-line payment portal. Once paid for, all accessible records, including wills, are immediately emailed to the user in a PDF format.
Handouts that focus on probate policies and procedures are readily available in the office. Additional materials that direct the public to services and resources beyond our jurisdiction are also available. The Register of Wills Association meets regularly to share news of newly launched programs and resources designed to enhance public access to estate planning and estate administration opportunities, including pro bono legal services offered to qualifying members of the community.
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