Connecticut Probate Courts
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The Connecticut Probate Court system is a system of 54 individual probate courts located throughout the state of Connecticut. The jurisdiction of each court extends to the legal affairs of the deceased, estates, some aspects of family law, conservatorship, and several other matters requiring specific legal decisions.[1] As statutory courts, all jurisdiction and authority is governed by the state legislature.[2]
Elections of judges
[edit]Judges of probate are the only members of the state judicial branch elected in Connecticut.[3] Judges are elected in partisan elections and hold office for a term of four years, their elections held within the same cycle as gubernatorial elections.[citation needed]
Prior to 2011, state law permitted anyone to run as a candidate for judge of probate regardless of previous judicial or legal experience. However, a state law which went into effect on January 5, 2011 now requires candidates for judge of probate to be both a lawyer and a member of the Connecticut bar.[3][4]
Consolidation of court districts
[edit]After operating without much change since 1850, growing financial difficulties in the state and within the probate courts created the need for the system to be overhauled. In the summer of 2009, the Probate Court Redistricting Commission assembled to review the aging court system and make recommendations for decreasing the number of judicial districts from 117. In September 2009, the commission announced its consolidation plan to reduce the number of districts to 54 for the 2010 elections.[5]
Probate districts
[edit]This list contains the currently elected judges of probate as of 2025:[6][7]
| District | Municipalities served | Map | Judge of probate | First elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hartford | Hartford* | Foye A. Smith (D) | 2015† | |
| 2. West Hartford | West Hartford* | Owen P. Eagan (D) | 2016† | |
| 3. Tobacco Valley | Bloomfield, East Granby, Suffield, Windsor Locks* | Daniel N. Mara (D) | 2022 | |
| 4. Greater Windsor | East Windsor, South Windsor*, Windsor | Mary C. Deneen (D) | 2022 | |
| 5. East Hartford | East Hartford* | Richard P. Gentile (D) | 2022 | |
| 6. Glastonbury-Hebron | Glastonbury*, Hebron | Sean Michael Peoples (D) | 2014 | |
| 7. Newington | Newington*, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield | Robert A. Randich (D) | 2006 | |
| 8. Berlin | Berlin, New Britain* | William C. Rivera (D) | 2022 | |
| 9. Simsbury Regional | Avon, Canton, Granby, Simsbury* | David C. Shepard (D) | 2022 | |
| 10. Farmington Regional | Burlington, Farmington*, Plainville | Evelyn M. Daly (D) | 2006 | |
| 11. North Central Connecticut | Enfield*, Somers, Stafford, Union | Carolyn L. McCaffrey (R) | 2018 | |
| 12. Ellington | Ellington, Vernon* | Elisa H. Bartlett (D) | 2018 | |
| 13. Greater Manchester | Andover, Bolton, Columbia, Manchester* | Michael M. Darby (D) | 2010 | |
| 14. Region #14 | East Haddam, East Hampton, Marlborough*, Portland | Jennifer L. Berkenstock (R) | 2010 | |
| 15. Middletown | Cromwell, Durham, Middlefield, Middletown* | Phrances Leverton Szewczyk (D) | 2024† | |
| 16. Meriden | Meriden* | Ariana F. Ceneviva (D/R) | 2018 | |
| 17. Wallingford | Wallingford* | Patrick M. Birney (R) | 2022 | |
| 18 Cheshire-Southington | Cheshire*, Southington | Matthew J. Jalowiec (D/R) | 2010 | |
| 19. Bristol-Plymouth | Bristol*, Plymouth | William A. Hamzy (R) | 2022 | |
| 20. Waterbury | Waterbury*, Wolcott | Matthew P. Vaccarelli (D) | 2018 | |
| 21. Naugatuck | Beacon Falls, Naugatuck*, Middlebury, Prospect | Rosa C. Rebimbas (R) | 2022 | |
| 22. Region #22 | Bethlehem, Oxford, Roxbury, Southbury*, Washington, Watertown, Woodbury | David K. Labriola (R) | 2024† | |
| 23. Torrington Area | Barkhamsted, Colebrook, Goshen, Hartland, New Hartford, Torrington*, Winchester, Winsted | James P. Steck (R) | 2022 | |
| 24. Litchfield Hills | Canaan**, Cornwall, Harwinton, Kent, Litchfield*, Morris, Norfolk, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon, Thomaston, Warren | Jordan M. Richards (R) | 2022 | |
| 25. Tolland-Mansfield | Coventry, Mansfield, Tolland*, Willington | Sophia H. Shaikh (D) | 2024† | |
| 26. Northeast | Ashford, Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Putnam*, Thompson, Woodstock | Gabrielle Labonte (R) | 2022 | |
| 27. Plainfield-Killingly Regional | Canterbury, Killingly, Plainfield*, Sterling | Carol Anne Rowe (R) | 2018 | |
| 28. Windham-Colchester | Colchester, Chaplin, Hampton, Lebanon, Scotland, Windham* | George A. Baker (D) | 2024† | |
| 29. Norwich | Bozrah, Franklin, Griswold, Lisbon, Norwich*, Preston, Sprague, Voluntown | Charles K. Norris (R) | 2010 | |
| 30. Southeastern CT Regional | Groton*, Ledyard, North Stonington, Stonington | Elizabeth L. Leamon (D) | 2020† | |
| 31. New London | New London*, Waterford | Mathew H. Greene (D/R) | 1992† | |
| 32. Niantic Regional | East Lyme*, Montville, Old Lyme, Salem | Jeffrey A. McNamara (R) | 2010 | |
| 33. Saybrook | Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Saybrook*, Westbrook | Jeannine Lewis (D) | 2018 | |
| 34. Madison-Guilford | Guilford, Madison* | Peter C. Barrett (D) | 2014 | |
| 35. Branford-North Branford | Branford*, North Branford | Charles E. Tiernan, III (D) | 2022 | |
| 36. East Haven-North Haven | East Haven*, North Haven | Michael R. Brandt (R) | 2002 | |
| 37. Hamden-Bethany | Bethany, Hamden* | Michael G. Dolan (D) | 2024† | |
| 38. New Haven | New Haven* | Americo R. Carchia (D) | 2022 | |
| 39. West Haven | West Haven | Mark J. DeGennaro (D) | 2010 | |
| 40. Milford-Orange | Milford*, Orange | Ben Gettinger (D) | 2021† | |
| 41. Derby | Ansonia*, Derby, Seymour, Woodbridge | Clifford D. Hoyle (D/R) | 2014 | |
| 42. Shelton | Shelton* | Fred J. Anthony (R) | 1994 | |
| 43. Danbury | Danbury* | Joseph DaSilva, Jr. (D) | 2022 | |
| 44. Housatonic | Bridgewater, Brookfield, New Fairfield, New Milford*, Sherman | Martin F. Landgrebe (R) | 2010 | |
| 45. Northern Fairfield County | Bethel*, Newtown, Ridgefield, Redding | Steven Boa DeMoura (D) | 2022 | |
| 46. Trumbull | Easton, Monroe, Trumbull* | T.R. Rowe (R) | 2014 | |
| 47. Stratford | Stratford* | Max L. Rosenberg (D) | 2018 | |
| 48. Bridgeport | Bridgeport* | Paul J. Ganim (D) | 1998 | |
| 49. Fairfield | Fairfield* | Katherine E. Caulfield (D) | 2024† | |
| 50. Westport | Weston, Westport* | Lisa K. Wexler (D) | 2014 | |
| 51. Norwalk-Wilton | Norwalk*, Wilton | Douglas Stern (D) | 2018 | |
| 52. Darien-New Canaan | Darien*, New Canaan | William P. Osterndorf (R) | 2014 | |
| 53. Stamford | Stamford* | Gerald M. Fox, III (D) | 2014 | |
| 54. Greenwich | Greenwich* | David W. Hopper (R) | 2002 |
* Indicates location of the court
** Indicates location of satellite office
† Denotes special election due to resignation, retirement, or death of the previous judge
D = Endorsed by the Democratic Party
R = Endorsed by the Republican Party
D/R = Endorsed by both parties
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Probate Court Jurisdiction". Jud.ct.gov. Archived from the original on June 17, 2010. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
- ^ "Probate Court History". Jud.state.ct.us. Archived from the original on December 4, 2010. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
- ^ a b Joseph A. O'Brien (September 27, 2009). "Probate Courts: 'Historic' Makeover". Hartford Courant. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
- ^ "Connecticut probate records". Retrieved February 20, 2019.
- ^ "CT 54 Probate Court Plan" (PDF). Jud.state.ct.us. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 27, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
- ^ "Directory of Probate Judges and Courts 2025" (PDF). OFFICE OF THE PROBATE COURT ADMINISTRATOR STATE OF CONNECTICUT.
- ^ "State of Connecticut Elections Database » Search Past Election Results". State of Connecticut Elections Database.