Section 2603. Surrogate and acting surrogate 1

The  judge  of  the  surrogate's  court  may  be designated as the
  surrogate. He may sign any paper wherever he may be at any time.
    2. Where the county judge is also a judge of the surrogate's court  he
  shall be designated as such without any addition referring to his office
  as county judge.
    3.  Where  a  judicial officer other than the judge of the surrogate's
  court acts as a judge of the surrogate's court in a case  prescribed  by
  law,  he  may be designated as "surrogate", notwithstanding his official
  title.
    4. No person other than the one who holds such office on the effective
  date of this act may serve in the office of  judge  of  the  surrogate's
  court unless he or she has been admitted to practice law in the state of
  New  York  for  at least 10 years as of the date he or she commences the
  duties of office.