DISTRIBUTIONS

Record showing how the balances remaining in estates after all claims have been satisfied
are distributed among the heirs. (See also Accounts.)

GUARDIAN BONDS

Record of bonds entered into by guardians, requiring that they keep safe and secure all
the estate belonging to the ward and that they deliver it to the ward as directed by the laws
regulating such matters. These are sometimes recorded in Orphans Court Proceedings.

GUARDIAN ACCOUNTS

Record of accounts filed annually by guardians, stating balances due wards from estates
or from accounts filed previously, listing receipts and payments made and stating current
balances due wards.

GUARDIAN DOCKETS (GUARDIAN KEY)

Brief record of guardianships, giving date, name of ward and guardian, date of each
account returned by guardian and final balance due to ward.

CLAIMS DOCKET (CLAIMS REGISTER, PASSED CLAIMS, VOUCHER DOCKET,
DOCKET OF ACCOUNTS, CLAIMS LIST, CLAIMANTS DOCKET, ACCOUNTS
AGAINST ESTATES)

Record of claims against decedents passed by the Register of Wills in the recess of the
Orphans' Court, giving date passed, name of creditor, character of claim and amount. This
record was first required by Chapter 86 of the Acts of 1854.

RECEIPTS AND RELEASES (RELEASES)

Receipts of heirs, wards and others acknowledging they have received money and property
to which they are entitled and releasing executors, administrators and guardians from further
responsibility.

EQUITY RECORDS (CHANCERY RECORDS,REAL ESTATERECORDS,ACCOUNTS
OF SALES OF REAL ESTATE IN EQUITY)

Record of equity cases tried under the provisions of Chapter 162 of the Acts of 1865,
which gave the Orphans' Courts concurrent jurisdiction with the Circuit Courts with au-
thority to direct the sales of real estate of intestates where the appraised value did not exceed
fifteen hundred dollars. The limitation was increased to twenty-five hundred dollars the fol-
lowing year (Chapter 81, Acts of 1866).

EQUITY DOCKETS (CHANCERY DOCKETS, REAL ESTATE DOCKETS, LAND SALES
DOCKET)

Calendar and brief record of equity cases tried before the Orphans' Courts.

INDENTURES

Record of orphans and other children bound as apprentices. During the colonial period
and briefly thereafter the county courts exercised certain responsibilities with respect to

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