Judge Jaconette on State Bar Council

Calhoun County Chief Probate Judge Michael Jaconette was recently elected to a three year term to serve on the State Bar’s Probate and Estate Planning Section’s Governing Council.

The group meets one Saturday a month, except for July and August to make sure lawmakers are in step with the law where probate matters are concerned.

Judge Jaconette tells WBCK that the Probate & Estate Planning Council consists of 23 attorneys from around the state and traditionally includes one or more Probate Judges who specialize in probate and estate planning matters.

He says “Its primary role is to consider, draft and actively support or oppose proposed legislation and court rules that impact probate matters (including guardianships and conservatorships, trusts, decedent estates and other topics) and estate planning matters.”

According to the Bylaws, the Council has the additional powers to consider, draft, and actively support or oppose proposed court rules; to further Section efforts to provide advice to courts during the course of pending litigation and sponsor meetings and institutes (together with publishing and disseminating information in print or online ) as a means of educating the Bar and the public concerning the role of estate planning, guardianships and conservatorships (including planning alternatives), tax planning, trust planning and administration, and probate.

Judge Jaconette says there are some issues he has to sit out on, if any discussions involve matters pending in his court.