The Register of Wills for the City of Philadelphia, John Sabatina, has been in office for a full six months. He says that he and his staff are working every day to make certain that residents who seek out services from the Register of Wills office can receive the services they need.
John Sabatina stated, “One of the things we are doing is called the Title Clearance Program. We’ve put together a number of attorneys and staff to try and assist in clearing up titles that are unclear; so-called tangled titles are haunting some families and others in Philadelphia who thought they owed a property but who later found out the real “owner” wasn’t clear because of missteps from past owners of said property. Addressing tangled titles is one of the things we’re hoping gets passed in the budget so that the Register of Wills office can have more funds to handle tangled titles.”
“People need to be familiar with the Register of Wills Office,” John Sabatina said. “We hope for longevity in life, but when something happens, the family of the person who has passed should be prepared. We have several departments within the Register of Wills Office. Aside from dealing with Wills, another big part of what we do has to do with marriage. If you want to change your name or for social security purposes related to a marriage, that’s when you come to see us.”
“People need to be familiar with the Register of Wills Office,” John Sabatina said. “We hope for longevity in life, but when something happens, the family of the person who has passed should be prepared. We have several departments within the Register of Wills Office. Aside from dealing with Wills, another big part of what we do has to do with marriage. If you want to change your name or for social security purposes related to a marriage, that’s when you come to see us.”
It should also be noted that the Register of Wills Office staff can walk you through the probate process, but staff cannot provide legal advice. The office staff may recommend that you get an attorney.
John Sabatina added, “Although the office is called “The Register of Wills,” the misconception is that you register you will at this office as soon as you get a Will written, but that’s wrong. You can’t register a Will until someone has passed on. That’s when your loved ones come into the office with the Will, and that’s when the Will is registered with the state of Pennsylvania.
The other portion of our office is the Clerk of Orphans Court, which also handles marriage licenses and does the administrative work of the Orphans Court.
John Sabatina says when you have a business to do with the Register of Wills Office, it’s better to get an appointment than to just walk in, although you can just stop in, “We won’t turn anybody away,” said Sabatina.
In terms of personnel changes in the office, John Sabatina stated, “There were already a lot of good people working in the Register of Wills office when I started, and I brought on a number of new staff members as well. We’re hoping to add an additional 20 staff members in the future. However, that all depends on the budget. Currently, seventy-two staffers work in the Register of Wills Office.
Prior to being elected Register of Wills in November of 2023, John Sabatina, Sr., was an Army Veteran, a Northeast Ward Leader, and a retired estate Attorney. John Sabatina was the only person who ran for Register of Wills in 2023 with a legal background dealing with Wills and Estates.
You can reach the Register of Wills office at 215-686-2233 for Mariage Licenses and 215-686-6255 for Probate. The office is located in Room 18 at Philadelphia City Hall.
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