N.Y. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act § 2610: Commissioner of records of surrogate's court, New York county; appointment; salary; duties 1

§ 2610. Commissioner of records of surrogate's court, New York county;

appointment; salary; duties

1. The surrogates of New York county shall appoint a commissioner of

records. The commissioner shall appoint, subject to the prior approval

of the surrogates, subordinates to assist him in the performance of his

duties. The salary of the commissioner and his subordinates shall be

fixed by the surrogates and shall be paid out of appropriations therefor

made by the city of New York.

2. The commissioner shall examine into the arrangement and condition

of the records, wills, documents, books and papers deposited or filed in

the office of the surrogate's court of the county of New York and into

the condition and sufficiency of the indices thereof. He shall collate

and arrange the same in such manner as may be necessary for their

restoration and preservation and shall take such steps as may be

necessary to provide convenient references thereto and for the

examination and use as the public interest and convenience may require.

He shall cause copies thereof to be made whenever by reason of age, use,

exposure, or any casualty such copies shall in his judgment be necessary

and after the copy has been compared with the original it shall be

certified by the commissioner and shall thereafter be admitted in

evidence and shall be considered for all other purposes with the same

effect as the original. The original shall be placed in a suitable

enclosure by the commissioner and shall be preserved, properly endorsed

and indexed for such examination as may be directed by an order of the

court in any action or proceeding in which the accuracy of the copy may

be questioned. His duties shall be performed under such conditions and

regulations as may be approved by the surrogates and in a manner which

shall permit the examination and use of the records, wills, documents,

books, papers and indices as the public interest and convenience may

require.

3. The office of commissioner of records of the surrogate's court of

New York county shall terminate upon the completion of the duties in

this section prescribed.