Probate Court Reform

Irene C. Olszewski, Esq. — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:20:53 +0000

As Connecticut moves forward in its attempt to reform the Probate Court system, it faces the daunting task of consolidating 117 local courts into no more than 50. That fact alone is of great concern to many citizens who have grown accustomed to the small courts typically located in the Town Hall complex. Many of my clients have expressed fear that the consolidation of these courts will lead to longer wait times for scheduling Probate matters. They worry that they will have to travel longer distances to access these courts. They are afraid that the friendly and non-threatening environment will transform into something quite the opposite.

I spend a fair share of my time practicing in the Probate Courts. As an attorney, it is my hope that what doesn’t work will be fixed – and that what already works fine will be left intact. I do like the idea that all of the Probate Courts will be required to operate 40 hours per week. Many of my colleagues have expressed the shared frustration that it is difficult to conduct business with those courts currently operating on limited schedules.

In an article published in the June 22, 2009 edition of the Connecticut Law Tribune the author writes, “[t]he community nature of the probate courts and their accessibility to lay persons are strengths of the system that must be retained.” I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment.

The Tribune article goes on to say that “[t]he time-sensitive nature of many matters brought before the probate courts should also factor into any consolidation plan.” Again, I concur. There are many critical issues that require immediate access to the courts and if the consolidation is going to work, this factor must be considered.

It will be interesting to see where this reform takes the Probate system.

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Probate Court Reform