South Carolina Identity Theft Protection Act SECTION Removal of social security numbers and other identifying information from official records filed by register of deeds or clerk of court or county. SECTION Removal of social security numbers and other identifying information from official records filed by register of deeds or clerk of court or county. (A) A person preparing or filing a document to be recorded or filed in the official records by the register of deeds or the clerk of court of a county may not include an individual's social security, driver's license, state identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification (PIN) code, or passwords in that document, unless otherwise expressly required by law or court order or rule adopted by the state registrar on records of vital events. A loan closing instruction that requires the inclusion of an individual's social security number on a document to be recorded is void. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars for each violation.

§ prohibits a public body (as defined in § (B) and includes all state, county, and municipal courts or registers of deeds) from collecting or making available to the public an individuals social security number containing six digits or more unless authorized by law to do so or unless the collection of the social security number is otherwise imperative for the performance of that bodys duties and responsibilities as prescribed by law. § of the Act lists specific exemptions to the collection and use of social security numbers and personal identifying information [ [ [ [ [ 1111 ]]]]by a public body. Several of those exemptions of significance to the Probate Court are provided below. [[[[ 1111 ]]]] personal identifying information includes an individuals social security, drivers license, state identification, passport, checking account, savings account, credit card, or debit card number, or personal identification code (PIN) or passwords in that document, unless otherwise expressly required by law or court order or rule adopted by the state registrar on records of vital events. FINANCIAL IDENTITY FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION ACT Effective January 1, 2009

Exemptions : A recorded document in the official records of the County A document filed pursuant to a court Order, warrant, or subpoena A document transferred to another governmental entity for the purpose of collecting a debt, including a debt collected pursuant to the Setoff Debt Collection Act

§ (A) of the Act specifically places the burden of compliance on the individual filing the document with the court or register and not on court officials. A person who files a document with the court or register containing personal identifying information in violation of the provisions is subject to a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not to exceed $ for each violation. Therefore, the exemptions contained in , the hold harmless clause contained in An individual may request that a register or clerk remove a social security number or personal identifier contained in an image or copy of an official record placed on a publicly available internet website used by a register or clerk. The request must be in writing and must specifically site the location and identifier which must be removed or redacted. A clerk of court or register of deeds has no duty to inquire beyond the written request to verify the identity of an individual requesting redaction. A fee must not be charged for the redaction pursuant to the request. FINANCIAL IDENTITY FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION ACT Effective January 1, 2009

Administrative Order The Probate Court shall in all respects attempt to respect the privacy of all those persons and entities doing business in our office as set forth in the SC FINANCIAL IDENTITY FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION ACT (§§ et seq.). However, in some instances, the Court will need to collect certain personal identification information (PINFO) in order to comply with its statutory duties under state and federal law. MARRIAGE LICENSES Social security numbers or alien identification numbers are required by SC Law (§ ) on marriage license applications which are kept separately from public records. For those not having social security numbers, other government issued forms of identification are collected to verify the identification and the age of applicants. ESTATES We may need to collect PINFO in order to confirm the nature and value of estate assets; however, the PINFO will be kept separately from the public file, destroyed, or returned to the Personal Representative. PROTECTIVE PROCEEDINGS We will collect the PINFO of protected persons, guardians, and conservators in order to secure and oversee the assets of protected persons under this courts jurisdiction. If collected, the PINFO will be kept separate from public access. INVOLUNTARY COMMITMENT PROCEEDINGS We will collect the Social Security number of any person involuntarily committed to identify the individual or to make required reports to governmental agencies. Attorneys appointed to represent patients must provide PINFO for tax purposes. All records in this division are confidential and not available for public viewing pursuant to Title 44 of the SC Code. PAYMENT OF COURT FEES/COSTS/FINES When payment is made by check or credit card, the account numbers will be processed in order to insure proper payment. No copies of transmittals will be kept in the public record. IT IS SO ORDERED! _________/S/______________ DEBORA A. FAULKNER PROBATE JUDGE January 1, 2009

Growth: 60+ = 123% 75+ = 142% 85+ = 181%

Greenvilles Growth 44, Census 44, Census 48, Census 48, Census 4,223 -Total Population Change 4,223 -Total Population Change 12,329 -Deaths 12,329 -Deaths 14,990-Natural Increase 14,990-Natural Increase 1,562 -Net Migration 1,562 -Net Migration The population of individuals 60 and above increased from 59,857 in 2000 to 71,038 in This is a numerical change of 11,181 and a percentage change of 18.7 POPULATION CHANGE IN GREENVILLE FOR PERSONS 65 YEARS AND OLDER

Projections of Alzheimer's Disease in South Carolina: 2005 – 2030

MEDIATION FRIENDLY STATUTE SC Code of Laws Section SC Code of Laws Section

SC Code of Laws, SC Code of Laws, § Private agreements among successors to decedent binding on personal representative Subject to the rights of creditors and taxing authorities, competent successors may agree among themselves to alter the interests, shares, or amounts to which they are entitled under the will of the decedent, or under the laws of intestacy, in any way that they provide in a written contract executed by all who are affected by its provisions. The personal representative shall abide by the terms of the agreement subject to this obligation to administer the estate for the benefit of creditors, to pay all taxes and costs of administration, and to carry out the responsibilities of his office for the benefit of any successors of the decedent who are not parties. Personal representatives of decedents' estates are not required to see to the performance of trusts if the trustee thereof is another person who is willing to accept the trust. Accordingly, trustees of a testamentary trust are successors for the purposes of this section. Nothing herein relieves trustees of any duties owed to beneficiaries of trusts.

SC Code of Laws, SC Code of Laws, § Effect of approval of agreements involving trusts, inalienable interests, or interests of third persons. A compromise of a controversy as to admission to probate of an instrument offered for formal probate as the will of a decedent, the construction, validity, or effect of a probated will, the rights or interests in the estate of the decedent, of a successor, or the administration of the estate, if approved in a formal proceeding in the court for that purpose, is binding on all the parties including those unborn, unascertained, or who could not be located. An approved compromise is binding even though it may affect a trust or an inalienable interest. A compromise does not impair the rights of creditors or of taxing authorities who are not parties to it. A compromise approved pursuant to this section is not a settlement of a claim subject to the provisions of Section

Debora A. Faulkner, Probate Judge of Greenville County

Participation 35 out of 46 counties enrolled in the program 35 out of 46 counties enrolled in the program 14 counties reported data 14 counties reported data 21 counties have no reports 21 counties have no reports Unclear whether they conducted a mediation and mediation is not yet concluded, whether there were indeed no mediations or whether the forms were not submitted Unclear whether they conducted a mediation and mediation is not yet concluded, whether there were indeed no mediations or whether the forms were not submitted Total cases reported - 80 Total cases reported - 80

CountyNumber of cases Greenville51 Orangeburg6 Charleston4 Richland4 Cherokee2 Dorchester2 Horry2 Pickens2 Spartanburg2 Abbeville1 Beaufort1 Colleton1 Jasper1 Lexington1

The Data Weighted responses have been taken from the Court Report and Evaluation form Weighted responses have been taken from the Court Report and Evaluation form Responses from participants were so small as to be statistically insignificant Responses from participants were so small as to be statistically insignificant Responses are weighted as follows (rounded to nearest 1/10,000) Responses are weighted as follows (rounded to nearest 1/10,000) Strongly agree:1 Strongly agree:1 Strongly disagree:5 Strongly disagree:5

The Overall Data Results Results Process was helpful Process was helpful Efficient use of Court time Efficient use of Court time Cost Cost Outcome Outcome2.7825

Individual County Data Greenville Greenville Process was helpful (equal) Efficient use of Court time (lower) Cost (higher) Outcome2.8040(lower)

Individual County Data Orangeburg Orangeburg Process was helpful 3.0(lower) Efficient use of Court time 3.0(lower) Cost3.0(lower) Outcome3.0(lower)

Individual County Data Charleston Charleston Process was helpful 3.0(lower) Efficient use of Court time 3.0(lower) Cost3.0(lower) Outcome3.0(lower)

Individual County Data Richland Richland Process was helpful 2.5(higher) Efficient use of Court time 2.5(higher) Cost3.0(lower) Outcome3.0(lower)

Individual County Data Abbeville Abbeville Colleton Colleton Jasper Jasper Process was helpful 3.0(lower) Efficient use of Court time 3.0(lower) Cost3.0(lower) Outcome3.0(lower)

Resolutions 24 were fully resolved 24 were fully resolved 6 were partially resolved 6 were partially resolved 8 were not resolved 8 were not resolved 37.5% resolved partially or in full; 10% not resolved 37.5% resolved partially or in full; 10% not resolved

Conclusions Statistically, may not have an adequate sampling Statistically, may not have an adequate sampling Recorded entries may not reflect actual sentiment Recorded entries may not reflect actual sentiment Lots of straight 3s (dead center) Lots of straight 3s (dead center) Data is court sourced rather than participant sourced Data is court sourced rather than participant sourced

Conclusions Nothing in the data is worse than a 3 Nothing in the data is worse than a 3 Mediation is receiving no worse than a median reception Mediation is receiving no worse than a median reception Mediation should be a permanent tool in the Probate Court toolbox Mediation should be a permanent tool in the Probate Court toolbox Data does not contain anything overtly negative Data does not contain anything overtly negative To the contrary, sentiment average of all 4 questions is between 2.7 and 2.9 To the contrary, sentiment average of all 4 questions is between 2.7 and 2.9