472.280. Records of probate division of circuit court--may be kept by means other than bound volumes--reading equipment, index to be provided.

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

472.280. Records of probate division of circuit court--may be kept by means other than bound volumes--reading equipment, index to be provided.

Records of probate division of circuit court--may be kept by meansother than bound volumes--reading equipment, index to be provided.

472.280. 1. The court shall keep the following:

(1) An index in which files, pertaining to estates ofdeceased persons, shall be indexed under the name of thedecedent, and those pertaining to guardianships andconservatorships under the name of the ward and protectee; afterthe name of each file shall be shown the file and register numberand the book and page of the register;

(2) A register, arranged in numerical order, in which shallbe listed in chronological order under the file and registernumber and the name of the decedent or ward or protectee, alldocuments filed or issued and all orders, judgments and decreesmade pertaining to the estate, the date thereof, and a referenceto the volume and page of any other book in which any record hasbeen made of such order or document;

(3) An abstract of all judgments of other courts filed andof all claims established in the probate division of the circuitcourt against the estate of each decedent which shall show theiramount, date and class, and to whom payable;

(4) A record of wills exhibited to be proven properlyindexed, in which shall be recorded such wills, together with theproof thereof and the certificate of probate or rejectionthereof;

(5) A record of bonds, in which shall be recorded all bondsfiled;

(6) A record of letters, in which shall be entered allletters issued;

(7) A record of inventories, in which shall be recorded allinventories and appraisements;

(8) A record of settlements in which shall be recorded theaccounts and settlements of all personal representatives,conservators, and guardians;

(9) A record of probate proceedings, which shall contain allorders, judgments and decrees of the court;

(10) A record of the minutes of the proceedings of thecourt.

2. All vouchers and receipts in any estate filed in thecourt may be destroyed on order of the court after they have beenon file for a period of five years after final termination ofadministration proceedings in the estate.

3. Other provisions of law to the contrary notwithstanding,any records required to be kept by the probate division of thecircuit court under subsection 1 of this section or by any otherlaw may be kept and maintained by means other than bound volumesof paper pages, including such means as photography,microphotography, photostatic process, electrostatic process,facsimile reproduction, perforated tape, magnetic tape or otherelectromagnetic means, electronic data processing,machine-readable media, graphic or video display, or anycombination thereof. All courts keeping records and informationby any of the aforesaid means shall keep and have readilyavailable to the public the necessary machines and equipment topresent the records and information in a readily readable form;and, further, the courts shall properly and adequately index suchrecords and information so that the same shall be readilyretrievable.