Monday, May 25, 2009

Nearing Reform

After years of resistance from probate judges, the state House of Representatives voted Tuesday to overhaul the state's probate system and reduce the number of courts from 117 to a maximum of 50.

The bill keeps probate judge as an elected position, but it will require that new candidates running in the November 2010 election be lawyers.

Many probate judges battled against change for years, saying that eliminating probate courts is like closing local firehouses. Others fought to retain their highly prized and often lucrative part-time jobs.

The bill, which passed 126-19, represented a compromise by Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell, Democratic and Republican legislators in both chambers and Probate Court Administrator Paul J. Knierim, among others.

Full Article and Source:
Probate Court Nearing Reform

More information:
House votes to reduce number of probate courts

House Votes to Overhaul Probate Court System

House Passes Historic, Bipartisan Probate Reform By 126 to 19

See also:
Connecticut Probate Courts

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think there's a long way to go, but this is a very good start for CT.

Anonymous said...

Thanks to the persistence of Rick Green for one!

Anonymous said...

Good job but now someone has to keep an eye on the 50 lawyers.

Anonymous said...

Keep at it CT and don't stop until there is total reform!