Judge William Treat Passes Away
Judge Treat actively worked to improve probate law in the United States. His accomplishments in this area are summarized in the following excerpt from his obituary:
[Judge Treat] was appointed a judge of probate in New Hampshire in 1958 and served until his retirement in 1983. During his judicial career he was very active in the reform and improvement of judicial administration, attending the Williamsburg Conferences in 1970 and 1972 which led to the establishment of a National Center for State Courts. In order to improve the administration of probate law throughout the nation, he organized the National College of Probate Judges in 1968 and served as its first President. Headquartered in Williamsburg, VA, the college now has more than 600 members. Each year the “Treat Award” is presented to that individual who has done the most for the improvement of probate law in the United States. Among those recipients is Justice Sandra Day O’Connor of the United States Supreme Court.
In New Hampshire he was chairman of the New Hampshire Judicial Council which included among its members David Souter who was Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Treat was the author of a three volume text on probate law, Treat on Probate. He actively sponsored legislation to decrease the cost of probate practice and shorten the time for settlement of estates. He lectured at the National Judicial College in Reno, NV, on methods by which judges with probate jurisdiction throughout the country could benefit parties before the court by providing a less expensive and shorter court procedure.
For a full summary of Judge Treat’s impressive legacy, see the full obituary available at naplesnews.com.