County clerk, surrogate present to Woman’s Club

Sussex County Clerk Jeffrey Parrott and County Surrogate Gary Chiusano administer a myriad of services and programs that benefit county residents. They shared a wealth of information about their offices at a recent meeting of the Vernon Township Woman’s Club.

Parrott said the County Clerk’s Office oversees elections, passports, veterans’ records, notary publics and business trade names, among other duties. He explained that a REAL ID driver’s license from the Motor Vehicles Commission will be required to fly within the United States beginning in May 2023, unless a traveler uses a U.S. passport or passport card. He clarified that a passport card cannot be used for international flights like a passport book, but is accepted for land and sea entry points from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean.

The County Surrogate’s Office handles wills, estates, adoptions and minor trust funds, and maintains permanent records of such transactions. Chiusano reviewed the process for probating a will and explained the difference between dying testate (with a will) and intestate (without a will) and the importance of having one’s wishes in writing. He discussed the surrogate’s role in guardianships of minors and incapacitated adults, and shared information about adult adoptions which are commonly employed to transfer inheritance rights.

Although addressing some very serious topics, Parrott and Chiusano remained enthusiastic and lighthearted.

“Our two guest speakers presented a wonderful program in a very humorous manner,” Woman’s Club President Maria Dorsey said. “They told jokes and played off each other like a tag team.”