Probate Matters

"In their 300-year history, the probate courts have often been called "neighborhood courts" because of their informality and accessibility. Today, the courts are also known as "family courts" because, in addition to overseeing decedents' estates and trusts, they handle a wide range of sensitive issues affecting children, the elderly, the mentally retarded, and the mentally ill."

Judge James J.  Lawlor
Probate Court Administrator

Our office represents clients in all these matters before the probate courts of the state.  The Probate Courts handle two general types of cases.  They resolve and distribute a person's estate after their death, and they appoint and oversee individuals to assist those who cannot make their own life decisions.  The decision to have someone conserved or to request a guardianship of an adult or child is a complicated one.  There are many legal issues and questions which the process can raise.  Not the least of which is what a conservator can and cannot do.   We can help answer all the questions you have, point out the ones you might not know about, and guide you through the whole probate process.  Our attorneys are on the Panel of Attorneys in Probate Matters for various probate courts throughout the State.

Not every town has its own probate court, but every town is served by a probate court.  In late September 2009, the legislature approved a probate court realignment plan to reduce the number of probate courts throughout the State of Connecticut from 117 to 54.  As part of a broad probate  reform, one of the goals was to restructure the probate courts so that they would still be locally based,  but would also be more efficient and cost-effective.  Some of the municipalities with larger populations such as Hartford, East Hartford, West Hartford, Meriden, Wallingford, New Haven, West  Haven, Shelton, Danbury, Stratford, Bridgeport, Fairfield, Stamford and Greenwich continue to have their own probate courts.  However, there are approximately 40 multi-town districts with between two and 12 municipalities that have been restructured as a result of the downsizing.  This change was effective on January 5, 2011.   View the listing by town of the new 54 Probate Court Plan, the Probate Courts Interim Directory of Judges & Districts January-April 2011, and the corresponding map of Probate Court Districts. 




Spencer's Corner, 90 Main Street, Suite 201, Centerbrook, CT 06409

Tel 860.767.9044
Fax 860-767-0031