The clerk shook her head and pushed my slip of paper back through the slot.

“I can’t confirm or deny anything in a restricted file,” she said.

“The system locks me out the second I type that name.

You need to hire a lawyer to petition the probate court directly.”

“How long does a petition take?

Can it happen before the deadline?” I asked.

“Usually six to eight weeks,” the clerk said.

“Sometimes longer if the docket is full.