Probate register says caseload and paperless filing surged; court outlines safeguards for guardianship oversight

Kaylee Gaschka, the probate register and administrator, presented the Kent County Probate Court’s annual report to the board, saying the court received 6,518 new cases in 2025 and that judges and staff held 4,854 hearings last year. "Since we've gone paperless… we've processed 115,025 paperless filings processed," Gaschka said, and she described the Operation Paperless initiative, a public kiosk for file access, and a plan to add more case types to the portal.

Gaschka described the guardianship and conservatorship workload and the court’s oversight mechanisms: annual, itemized financial accounting from conservators, staff-level reviews and three-year hearings for protected individuals. On questions about an AI receptionist pilot, Gaschka said the tool would run in a closed sandbox using procedural guidance for general questions (hours, locations) and would not provide legal advice. She also told commissioners the rise in mental-health petitions reflects greater availability of resources and hospital capacity, and that a number of hearings are conducted remotely to accommodate participants.