Comments on: Gov. Rell’s Plan For Probate Court Consolidation http://aconnecticutlawblog.com/2009/02/questions-about-gov-rells-plan-for-probate-court-consolidation/ Connecticut's Widely Read Obscure Legal Blog Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:16:02 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Ryan http://aconnecticutlawblog.com/2009/02/questions-about-gov-rells-plan-for-probate-court-consolidation/comment-page-1/#comment-1544 Ryan Thu, 11 Jun 2009 02:01:55 +0000 http://aconnecticutlawblog.com/?p=789#comment-1544 CT Bumpkin, Totally agree that our probate judges should be qualified attorneys. This was a long overdue move by the legislature. CT Bumpkin,

Totally agree that our probate judges should be qualified attorneys. This was a long overdue move by the legislature.

]]> By: CTBumpkin http://aconnecticutlawblog.com/2009/02/questions-about-gov-rells-plan-for-probate-court-consolidation/comment-page-1/#comment-1543 CTBumpkin Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:56:09 +0000 http://aconnecticutlawblog.com/?p=789#comment-1543 Reform is long overdue. I can't say that I represent a fair sampling of the system, but my personal experience with a probate judge was that she was completely lacking in knowledge of even the most basic rules of evidence and legal proceedings, not to mention the fact that she was extremely unprofessional. What were her qualifications? She was assitant town clerk. One day she's selling dog licenses and the next she is making personal and financial decisions that have significant impact on people's lives. We will benefit from having judges who are, at minimum, admitted to the bar and have a foundation in the legal principles that are necessary to judge effectively. Reform is long overdue. I can't say that I represent a fair sampling of the system, but my personal experience with a probate judge was that she was completely lacking in knowledge of even the most basic rules of evidence and legal proceedings, not to mention the fact that she was extremely unprofessional. What were her qualifications? She was assitant town clerk. One day she's selling dog licenses and the next she is making personal and financial decisions that have significant impact on people's lives. We will benefit from having judges who are, at minimum, admitted to the bar and have a foundation in the legal principles that are necessary to judge effectively.

]]> By: Rosalie Rowland http://aconnecticutlawblog.com/2009/02/questions-about-gov-rells-plan-for-probate-court-consolidation/comment-page-1/#comment-1224 Rosalie Rowland Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:57:14 +0000 http://aconnecticutlawblog.com/?p=789#comment-1224 small Probate Courts should definately be consolidated. Many of these "so called Judges" are hardly ever in court during the times it is open . They leave their clerks in charge, many have no experience in Probate matters, they have this position because the judge owed them a favor. The small court judges should be ashamed of themselves for receiving such large salaries in wealth towns when they are only at the court for short hearings, maybe one or two hours a week. What other jobs pay such good salaries and you do not have to be at work. Also, if a individual runs for probate court and no one runs against the person from the other party, that should tell the legislatures in CT. that particular town has very little interest in their Probat Court. Let's begin to save money, close those small courtsw. small Probate Courts should definately be consolidated. Many of these "so called Judges" are hardly ever in court during the times it is open . They leave their clerks in charge, many have no experience in Probate matters, they have this position because the judge owed them a favor. The small court judges should be ashamed of themselves for receiving such large salaries in wealth towns when they are only at the court for short hearings, maybe one or two hours a week. What other jobs pay such good salaries and you do not have to be at work. Also, if a individual runs for probate court and no one runs against the person from the other party, that should tell the legislatures in CT. that particular town has very little interest in their Probat Court. Let's begin to save money, close those
small courtsw.

]]> By: JDoyon http://aconnecticutlawblog.com/2009/02/questions-about-gov-rells-plan-for-probate-court-consolidation/comment-page-1/#comment-898 JDoyon Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:36:54 +0000 http://aconnecticutlawblog.com/?p=789#comment-898 Buckle up and hang on, this probate court reform is going to get very bumpy over the next few years. I don't see how the state plans on consolidating 117 courts into 36 without some type of newly built facilities, which of course cost money. Of the two dozen or so probate courts that I've been in, I can say with confidence that there are only 2 or 3 that have significant space in their current form to provide for an increase in traffic/workload. If the judges are then stuck with the alternative of having judges "ride the circuit", I believe that also causes significant problems logistically as far as staffing and facilities are concerned. When you consider these various factors, I just don't see where the savings are going to enter the system in the relatively short term(say the next 5 or 6 years), when you consider facilities, as well as other resources that will be necessary in order to make this a viable consolidation. I agree with you 100% Ryan that the public hearings on probate court reform will be must see TV. Buckle up and hang on, this probate court reform is going to get very bumpy over the next few years. I don't see how the state plans on consolidating 117 courts into 36 without some type of newly built facilities, which of course cost money. Of the two dozen or so probate courts that I've been in, I can say with confidence that there are only 2 or 3 that have significant space in their current form to provide for an increase in traffic/workload. If the judges are then stuck with the alternative of having judges "ride the circuit", I believe that also causes significant problems logistically as far as staffing and facilities are concerned. When you consider these various factors, I just don't see where the savings are going to enter the system in the relatively short term(say the next 5 or 6 years), when you consider facilities, as well as other resources that will be necessary in order to make this a viable consolidation. I agree with you 100% Ryan that the public hearings on probate court reform will be must see TV.

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