[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6483271,"mediaKeyId","5545597-5391f55b5a3895fe9c34cc214224a683","parentId",5545597,"title","Probate judge asks court to fund second court auditor to clear backlog","audioSeconds",1053,"startMs",2019740,"endMs",3072819,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5545597-5391f55b5a3895fe9c34cc214224a683&start=2019&end=3072","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5545597-5391f55b5a3895fe9c34cc214224a683/thumbnail_2019740.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6483271/Collin-County/Texas/Probate-judge-asks-court-to-fund-second-court-auditor-to-clear-backlog","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6483271-e2c8b1e58fbe754e1c5c66396f856637/orig.mp4?Expires=1770399021&Signature=KUpPj97r9~QA1NdOEUviTrz8J47MzvkUdKO36yF-HnGai8SZRSgdtfL175XNJRbyoHbIsb4O5OrA0F~~N1wmbOyVZY7Dhw0fOkMeKOjSZ6y2ZxR5Ym4sPLKqpzfkoTlPidjzDtt74hkVSBgLZyrmrvQFJt~tMN9xd458h49YOnqH6bz8cR4W~3fZ57Ik8GQUgzhPNNAyAJg3MyZNje7TjZrAEH9ujVZa9bR3JoDfWR8xbj21U1mKB1qRqnQ-fBYOVPW5YBEVSeIGjzvuofBlyjP33usudbar8DE21gl00519R0M5B2Pk8nQpPUkCai~GRo-4nLIxM-7tAHmorDtynQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Collin","date","2025-08-05T00:00:00Z","article","Probate Judge requested funding for a second probate court auditor to address growing filings and a backlog of financial reviews in Collin County Probate Court.

Judge Duff told the commissioners that a single court auditor, described in the presentation as Dee Amber Harp, is currently responsible for reviewing inventories, accountings and other statutory filings for probate, guardianship and mental-health matters. Duff said filings have risen steadily over the last decade and that in 2024 the probate court processed roughly 5,800 cases across probate, guardianship and mental-health dockets.

Judge Duff said one auditor has reviewed accountings totaling about $215 million (January–August figures cited in the presentation) and that the workflow now produces a backlog that delays case closings and post‑filing reviews. She said HR reviewed the request and recommended the new position be a second full court auditor rather than a lower-ranked assistant auditor, because the additional hire would perform equivalent auditing duties.

Why it matters: Probate and guardianship cases involve court‑supervised oversight of assets and, in guardianship and many probate contexts, protections for people who cannot manage their own finances. Duff said the court’s current staffing level compares unfavorably with similar counties and that adding a second auditor would reduce time-to-closure and better protect wards and beneficiaries.

Court discussion: Commissioners asked about workload distribution, the use of associate judges to assist with hearing dockets and whether a future second probate court (additional judge) would change staffing needs. Duff and other judges said associate judges and contributory funds have helped but that a second auditor is needed now to keep current filings moving.

Ending: The judge limited today’s ask to the second auditor post; she said a second probate court could be considered later when workload and facility plans support that step.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Collin - FY 2026 Budget Workshop Aug 05, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Collin County Probate Judge asked Commissioners Court to approve a second probate court auditor, citing a growing caseload, substantial account reviews and a backlog that is delaying case closures.","taxTitle","Collin County, Texas","taxId",2696,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6483276,"Collin County commissioner warns budget leaves little room without tax increase or cuts",576,50485,627230,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5545597-5391f55b5a3895fe9c34cc214224a683&start=50&end=627","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5545597-5391f55b5a3895fe9c34cc214224a683/thumbnail_50485.jpg","/articles/6483276/Collin-County/Texas/Collin-County-commissioner-warns-budget-leaves-little-room-without-tax-increase-or-cuts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6483276-4f58b5c0b912db5f383a59fce328921d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770399022&Signature=JAxRLyHQBy6PwJD9RVDcyeLszpSbNLOGnweePk9oSMx1N1b8HQDsym3jRk5No5QzhvtYq2vrxgJaKkbdJ4IeSQfYfzf10EqnsVIzyELu8J4z~ndfn-oG6dSzDpNk6NqHcebVToy~x3EDsKlavTHa1SFk6AR5YfSzCfpyRbhhbTvd~f0a3YW1p6TfFIsw6plrCbaKjP7OPU8JM5g~TI2l0YUG1nmoCj7DmO2bno9kEOd6gNiUkH76W0-t9tkRHxkwkeWS9Fb-N3pNJt8dLABBIlk5nx~cOsBZxoSldnVVsYViH9vcl9goeXgznu8zQskdwrEsxaZi9begAKIxduJvNg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Commissioner Webb said Collin County’s general-fund revenue leaves almost no room for the supplemental requests county elected officials and department heads have submitted for the 2026 budget.

Webb told the Commissioners Court on July 24 that the county’s no-new-revenue baseline is about $314.0 million and that keeping the current tax rate adds roughly $9 million more; increasing to the voter-approval (rollback) rate would add about another $10 million. Even after those options, Webb said the requests from elected officials, market movement and mandatory base increases would put expenses above available revenue unless the court either asks voters for more or departments find internal cuts.

The commissioner said netting the adopted 2025 budget and the 2026 base requests produces a tight picture: “If we stay at the no-new-tax rate, we only have available for anything $424,000 unless we start cutting budgets,” Webb said. He added that adding 2026 market movement and other mandatory increases pushes expenses past revenue at the existing rate. “We are already past the amount of revenue that we can generate at the current tax rate, period,” Webb said.

Why it matters: Webb emphasized Collin County’s rapid growth — he repeated the frequently cited figure of roughly 200 new residents per day — and warned that growth drives service needs across courts, jail, public works and clerk offices. He noted aging infrastructure (escalators, roofs) and continuing health- and jail-related requests from the sheriff and district attorney that, taken together, exceed what the county can absorb without higher revenue or significant cuts.

Court discussion and next steps: Webb said he prefers not to raise the tax rate but that the court will have to consider reallocating within department budgets, denying supplemental requests, or seeking voter approval. Several members of the court and department heads agreed that statutory mandates and state-imposed changes have increased county workload without commensurate state funding. Commissioners asked staff to reconcile the revenue-and-base presentations and to return alternate budget scenarios showing deeper cuts versus tax-rate increases.

Webb also flagged that some supplemental requests (notably large sheriff requests for jail mental-health staffing and overtime) would effectively require either voter support or reallocations; he said he will be “very unwilling to approve anything that’s not in those first two categories,” meaning the budget-recommended items, unless departments identify internal savings.

Ending: Webb urged department heads to prioritize and find savings where possible, and the court directed staff to provide clearer reconciled budget figures at the next session so members can evaluate trade-offs between cuts and potential tax-rate options.","Commissioner Webb told the Commissioners Court the county’s general fund is essentially balanced at current tax rates and that meeting elected officials’ supplemental requests would require voter approval or departmental reallocations.","actionData","errors"]

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Probate judge asks court to fund second court auditor to clear backlog

Collin County commissioner warns budget leaves little room without tax increase or cuts