A referee's primary function is to review the inventory (the list of estate assets) of estate property, value them, and report this valuation directly to the court. These properties may range from valuable collectibles to stocks and bonds, to real estate, to valuable collectibles, to business-related property, household furniture, or automobiles.
To do this, the referee gathers vital information about the existing debts and assets of the decedent’s estate from the deceased's estate. This information is usually obtained from the trustee, executor, or administrator of such an estate. They are then forwarded to the probate referee via an official form which they are required to complete with their signature.
After successfully completing all non-monetary assets, the probate referee is required to sign a statement that attests to the value of the non-monetary assets listed in the estate. Of course, this evaluation is to be done impartially, honestly, and to the best of the probate referee's ability.
After successfully evaluating the assets, the probate referee signs a document called Inventory and Appraisal Form DE-160.
At this juncture, it’s important to note that all procedures relating to the probate process are supervised by a probate court and headed by a probate judge. The probate Court must also be situated in the descendant's country of residence.