Sec. 9. (a) The superior court may appoint commissioners, probate commissioners, referees, juvenile referees, bailiffs, court reporters, probation officers, and other personnel, including an administrative officer, as the court believes are necessary to facilitate and transact the business of the court. The salaries of the personnel shall be fixed and paid as provided by law. However, if the salaries of any of the personnel are not provided by law, the amount and time of payment of the salaries shall be fixed by the court, to be paid out of the county treasury by the county auditor upon the order of the court, and be entered on record. The officers and persons appointed shall perform the duties as are prescribed by the court. Any such commissioners, probate commissioners, referees, juvenile referees, probation officers, and other personnel appointed by the court serve at the pleasure of the court.

(b) Any probate commissioner appointed by the court may be vested by the court with all suitable powers for the handling and management of the probate and guardianship matters of the court, including the fixing of all bonds, the auditing of accounts of estates and guardianships and trusts, acceptance of reports, accounts, and settlements filed in the court, the appointment of personal representatives, guardians, and trustees, the probating of wills, the taking and hearing of evidence on or concerning such matters, or any other probate, guardianship, or trust matters in litigation before the court, the enforcement of court rules and regulations, and making of reports to the court, including the taking and hearing of evidence together with the commissioner's findings and conclusions, under the final jurisdiction and decision of the judges of the court.

(c) Any juvenile referee appointed by the court may be vested by the court with all suitable powers for the handling and management of the juvenile matters of the court, including the fixing of bonds, the taking and hearing of evidence on or concerning any juvenile matters in litigation before the court, the enforcement of court rules and regulations, the making of reports to the court concerning the referee's doings under final jurisdiction and decision of the judges of the court.

(d) A probate commissioner and juvenile referee may summon witnesses to testify before the commissioner and juvenile referee, administer oaths, and take acknowledgments in connection with and in furtherance of their duties and powers.

[Pre-2004 Recodification Citation: 33-5-44.1-8.]

As added by P.L.98-2004, SEC.12.