(a) The judge of probate may index and retain all or parts of the records of the probate court for archival and access purposes utilizing optical disks, magnetic tapes, solid state memory devices, or other computerized or electronic methods for records indexing, storage, and retrieval, or any combination thereof. The use of microfilm or other microform medium to retain and archive probate court records may be discontinued and replaced with digitized or scanned images of the records previously maintained on microfilm or other microform medium. The electronic images shall constitute official records of the probate court and may be compiled and certified and provided to the public at reasonable cost and in accordance with applicable statutes.
(b) Following the effective installation date, real property instruments, personal property instruments, and other documents and records to be indexed, recorded, archived, and retrieved with computer-generated files or to be stored and filed on either optical disk or on paper, as determined by the judge of probate, shall constitute the official record of instruments for the purpose of Section 12-13-43.
(c) The office of the judge of probate shall establish policies to administer access to computerized index information and digitized images maintained in the probate court pursuant to this subpart.