After weeks of closed-door negotiations among lawmakers, Probate Court judges and the governor's budget staff, a bill has been crafted to keep the financially troubled system afloat and cut the 117 courts down to 50 in time for the fall 2010 election.
The draft bill that is expected to reach the House floor early next week includes $12.4 million in new funds to prevent the court system from going bankrupt and the creation of a new 12-member legislative commission to decide which districts stay open or close.
Rep. Bob Godfrey, who negotiated the draft agreement: "This will bring the colonial Probate Court system into the 21st century. We'll be adopting reforms of economy of scale and save courts money while preserving the user-friendly aspect of the courts."
Minimal court jurisdictions would include about 40,000 residents and each court would have to be open 40 hours a week.
The new Probate Court system would include magistrates appointed by the state's chief justice of the Supreme Court, for assignment when needed throughout the state.
The deal would include $4 million for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and $8.4 million for the next fiscal year.
Full Article and Source:
Deal will keep probate courts solvent
See also:
Non-Lawyer Judges Fight Reform
Will Reform Finally Happen?
The draft bill that is expected to reach the House floor early next week includes $12.4 million in new funds to prevent the court system from going bankrupt and the creation of a new 12-member legislative commission to decide which districts stay open or close.
Rep. Bob Godfrey, who negotiated the draft agreement: "This will bring the colonial Probate Court system into the 21st century. We'll be adopting reforms of economy of scale and save courts money while preserving the user-friendly aspect of the courts."
Minimal court jurisdictions would include about 40,000 residents and each court would have to be open 40 hours a week.
The new Probate Court system would include magistrates appointed by the state's chief justice of the Supreme Court, for assignment when needed throughout the state.
The deal would include $4 million for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and $8.4 million for the next fiscal year.
Full Article and Source:
Deal will keep probate courts solvent
See also:
Non-Lawyer Judges Fight Reform
Will Reform Finally Happen?
Is it safe to assume that they will all be real lawyers now, and follow the law?
ReplyDeleteAlrighty, cutting the number of courts in half is a good start.
ReplyDeleteNow, make sure the bad judges go and the good ones stay.
I think any real reform must start with breaking up, tearing apart the good old boys and gals club.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good begining, sounds like a good faith effort by Rep. Bob Godfrey to clean up
Probate Court system in CT.
Sounds like things are on the mend at least!
ReplyDeleteThe citizens of CT must not give up until there is full reform.
ReplyDeleteKeep the heat on!
Probate Courts need Transparency so vulnerable
ReplyDeletecitizens: elders, kids, and the disabled are not
stripped of all rights and assets with out due process of law easily denied in these secret courts by unscrupulous court appointed
'professionals' collaborating for profiteering while using this secret court to disparage family members from even visiting their loved ones after they've been displaced into WAREHOUSES to be neglected, emotionall and physically abused without the benefit of the BEST Advocate of a resident: Family members! The Guardianship Racket is the biggest SCAM on American Families today motivated by GREED.
We need the Firewall re-implemented between the Three Branches of Government so political influence cannot obstruct justice as egregiously as it is today. Public court monitors are also needed to protect families from being torn apart and plundered by these Kangaroo Courts motivated by GREED. Placements into WAREHOUSES are needed for the indigent who are being
left without the services they need as beds in facilities are being filled and held by this Guardianship Racket to exploit those who are being 'displaced' before they need to be.