Morris County Surrogate Speaks With Heath Village Retirement Community

Published on March 05, 2026

Morris County Surrogate Heather J. Darling visited residents of the Heath Village Retirement Community in Washington Township yesterday to discuss the services provided by the Morris County Surrogate’s Court and to share important information about estate planning. During the presentation, Surrogate Darling explained that the Morris County Surrogate’s Court handles approximately 3,500 probate cases each year, assisting families throughout the county with the administration of estates and related matters.

As part of her visit, Surrogate Darling distributed dozens of educational publications developed by the Surrogate’s Court to help residents better understand estate planning and record keeping. Among the materials provided were The Personal Record(PDF, 638KB) and A Citizen’s Guide to Wills, Trusts, and Estates(PDF, 2MB), both designed to help individuals organize important personal information and better prepare their families for the future.

Surrogate Darling also discussed ongoing modernization efforts, highlighting new technologies that have been implemented to better serve the public. These include an AI Virtual Assistant that can answer common questions and schedule appointments for clients over the phone, as well as an AI-powered chat feature on the Surrogate’s Court website that provides immediate answers to questions related to the court’s services, and touched upon the electronic wills bill, which she has been championing. The presentation ended with an open question and answer session, including Washington Township Mayor Michael Marino, who addressed issues germane to Washington Township. Surrogate Darling addressed questions from residents about probate procedures, estate planning, and the services available through the Morris County Surrogate’s Court.

For more information, please visit www.morrissurrogate.com.