The Public Administrator is an agency of New York City. Each county of the City of New York has its own Public Administrator. 

In a Kinship Proceeding, the Public Administrator’s role is almost always that of the estate’s administrator. An administrator is just like an executor of an estate, but an administrator is an “executor” for an estate of someone who died without a will.

Once the Public Administrator has administered the estate (for example, collected money, sold real estate.) they will file (with the court) and serve (on the parties and persons interested) an accounting, verified under oath, and seek to distribute the assets. In this regard, the Public Administrator is the “petitioner” in an accounting proceeding. 

In counties outside of the City of New York, the role of the Public Administrator is often handled by the County Treasurer.