The Orphans' Court was one of the earliest courts like the other colonial courts was derived from the English judicial system. Established by William Penn's new government in 1683, the Orphans' Court was founded "to inspect and take care of the Estates, Usage, and Employment of Orphans...That care may be taken for those, that are not able to take care for themselves." Subsequent legislation gave the court added responsibilities relating to the guardianship of minors, real estate left intestate, partition of real estate, adoptions, and appeals from register of wills decisions. The Clerk of the Orphans' Court was responsible for keeping the records of the Court. He was required to provide books to record all petitions, orders, appointments, returns, certificates, assignments, recognizances, sentences, exceptions, decrees, and proceedings of the Court and to develop indices to all. Prior to the establishment of the Orphans' Court in Berks County, all matters were handled by the Court of Quarter Sessions. Berks County was erected in 1752 and prior to that matters were handled in Philadelphia, Chester, and Lancaster Counties, depending on where the subject lived. These were the counties that Berks was taken from. Register of Wills, Berks County, PA Orphans' Court Estate matters that require judicial disposition are handled in the Orphan's Court. Routine appearances before the Orphan's Court include: * Audits of accounts of executors, administrators, trustees, and guardians * Distribution of estates of decedents, incompetents, and minors * Appointment and control of guardians * Adoptions * Appeals from the Register of Wills involving probate matters * Inheritance tax appeals * Various petitions and motions As Clerk of the Orphan's Court, the Register maintains the docket and all other records of the Orphan's Court. The Register is required by law to advertise in the local newspapers the accounts submitted to him in Orphan's Court.