What role does a court-appointed assessment officer play in reviewing contested estate accounts?

The exact administrative role can vary somewhat by court office, but the core point is that a passing of accounts is ultimately a Superior Court matter, decided by a judge rather than left entirely to an administrative process. Where accounts aren't contested, a judge, or in some registries another judicial officer, reviews the filed material and signs off; where a beneficiary has filed a formal objection, the matter moves toward an actual hearing where the disputed items are argued and decided.

Court staff can be involved in the practical, procedural side of getting a passing of accounts application organized and scheduled — confirming filings are complete, notice has gone out properly, and the matter is ready to be put in front of a judge — but the substantive decision about whether the accounts, and any claimed compensation, are approved rests with the court, not with an administrative sign-off alone.

Because the exact procedural path can differ between court offices and depends on whether the accounts are contested, anyone preparing for a passing of accounts should ask their estates lawyer, or the specific Superior Court office handling the file, what steps apply in that region before assuming a particular process.