The Connecticut Probate Court system is a system of 54 individual probate courts located throughout the state of Connecticut. The jurisdiction of each court extends to the legal affairs of the deceased, estates, some aspects of family law, conservatorship, and several other matters requiring specific legal decisions. As statutory courts, all jurisdiction and authority is governed by the state legislature.

Elections of judges Judges of probate are the only members of the state judicial branch elected in Connecticut. Judges are elected in partisan elections and hold office for a term of four years, their elections held within the same cycle as gubernatorial elections.

Prior to 2011, state law permitted anyone to run as a candidate for judge of probate regardless of previous judicial or legal experience. However, a state law which went into effect on January 5, 2011 now requires candidates for judge of probate to be both a lawyer and a member of the Connecticut bar.

Consolidation of court districts After operating without much change since 1850, growing financial difficulties in the state and within the probate courts created the need for the system to be overhauled. In the summer of 2009, the Probate Court Redistricting Commission assembled to review the aging court system and make recommendations for decreasing the number of judicial districts from 117. In September 2009, the commission announced its consolidation plan to reduce the number of districts to 54 for the 2010 elections.

Probate districts

This list contains the currently elected judges of probate as of 2025:

District Municipalities served Judge of probate First elected 1. Hartford Hartford* Foye A. Smith (D) 2015† 2. West Hartford West Hartford* Owen P. Eagan (D) 2016† 3. Tobacco Valley Bloomfield, East Granby, Suffield, Windsor Locks* Daniel N. Mara (D) 2022 4. Greater Windsor East Windsor, South Windsor*, Windsor Mary C. Deneen (D)2022 5. East Hartford East Hartford* Richard P. Gentile (D) 2022 6. Glastonbury-Hebron Glastonbury*, Hebron Sean Michael Peoples (D) 2014 7. Newington Newington*, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield Robert A. Randich (D) 2006 8. Berlin Berlin, New Britain* William C. Rivera (D) 2022 9. Simsbury Regional Avon, Canton, Granby, Simsbury* David C. Shepard (D) 202210. Farmington RegionalBurlington, Farmington*, PlainvillePaul R. Bedard (D) 2025† 11. North Central Connecticut Enfield*, Somers, Stafford, Union Carolyn L. McCaffrey (R) 2018 12. Ellington Ellington, Vernon* Elisa H. Bartlett (D) 2018 13. Greater Manchester Andover, Bolton, Columbia, Manchester* Michael M. Darby (D) 2010 14. Region #14 East Haddam, East Hampton, Marlborough*, Portland Jennifer L. Berkenstock (R) 2010 15. Middletown Cromwell, Durham, Middlefield, Middletown* Phrances Leverton Szewczyk (D) 2024† 16. Meriden Meriden* Ariana F. Ceneviva (D/R) 2018 17. Wallingford Wallingford* Patrick M. Birney (R) 2022 18 Cheshire-Southington Cheshire*, Southington Matthew J. Jalowiec (D/R) 2010 19. Bristol-Plymouth Bristol*, Plymouth William A. Hamzy (R) 2022 20. Waterbury Waterbury*, Wolcott Matthew P. Vaccarelli (D) 2018 21. Naugatuck Beacon Falls, Naugatuck*, Middlebury, Prospect Rosa C. Rebimbas (R) 2022 22. Region #22 Bethlehem, Oxford, Roxbury, Southbury*, Washington, Watertown, Woodbury David K. Labriola (R) 2024† 23. Torrington Area Barkhamsted, Colebrook, Goshen, Hartland, New Hartford, Torrington*, Winchester, Winsted James P. Steck (R) 2022 24. Litchfield Hills Canaan, Cornwall, Harwinton, Kent, Litchfield*, Morris, Norfolk, North Canaan**, Salisbury, Sharon, Thomaston, Warren Jordan M. Richards (R) 2022 25. Tolland-Mansfield Coventry, Mansfield, Tolland*, Willington Sophia H. Shaikh (D) 2024† 26. Northeast Ashford, Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Putnam*, Thompson, Woodstock Gabrielle Labonte (R) 2022 27. Plainfield-Killingly Regional Canterbury, Killingly, Plainfield*, Sterling Carol Anne Rowe (R) 2018 28. Windham-Colchester Colchester, Chaplin, Hampton, Lebanon, Scotland, Windham* George A. Baker (D) 2024† 29. Norwich Bozrah, Franklin, Griswold, Lisbon, Norwich*, Preston, Sprague, Voluntown Charles K. Norris (R) 2010 30. Southeastern CT Regional Groton*, Ledyard, North Stonington, Stonington Elizabeth L. Leamon (D) 2020† 31. New London New London*, Waterford Mathew H. Greene (D/R) 1992† 32. Niantic Regional East Lyme*, Montville, Old Lyme, Salem Jeffrey A. McNamara (R) 2010 33. Saybrook Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Saybrook*, Westbrook Jeannine Lewis (D) 201834. Madison-GuilfordGuilford, Madison*Seth Klaskin (D) 2025† 35. Branford-North Branford Branford*, North Branford Charles E. Tiernan, III (D)2022 36. East Haven-North Haven East Haven*, North Haven Michael R. Brandt (R) 2002 37. Hamden-Bethany Bethany, Hamden* Michael G. Dolan (D) 2024† 38. New Haven New Haven* Americo R. Carchia (D) 2022 39. West Haven West HavenTimothy Gunning (D)2025† 40. Milford-Orange Milford*, Orange Ben Gettinger (D) 2021† 41. Derby Ansonia*, Derby, Seymour, Woodbridge Clifford D. Hoyle (D/R) 2014 42. Shelton Shelton* Fred J. Anthony (R) 1994 43. Danbury Danbury* Joseph DaSilva, Jr. (D) 2022 44. Housatonic Bridgewater, Brookfield, New Fairfield, New Milford*, Sherman Martin F. Landgrebe (R) 2010 45. Northern Fairfield County Bethel*, Newtown, Ridgefield, Redding Steven Boa DeMoura (D) 2022 46. Trumbull Easton, Monroe, Trumbull* T.R. Rowe (R) 2014 47. Stratford Stratford* Max L. Rosenberg (D) 2018 48. Bridgeport Bridgeport* Paul J. Ganim (D) 1998 49. Fairfield Fairfield* Katherine E. Caulfield (D) 2024† 50. Westport Weston, Westport* Lisa K. Wexler (D) 2014 51. Norwalk-Wilton Norwalk*, Wilton Douglas Stern (D) 2018 52. Darien-New Canaan Darien*, New Canaan William P. Osterndorf (R) 2014 53. Stamford Stamford* Gerald M. Fox, III (D) 2014 54. Greenwich Greenwich* David W. Hopper (R) 2002 Indicates location of the court Indicates location of satellite office † Denotes special election due to resignation, retirement, or death of the previous judge D = Endorsed by the Democratic Party R = Endorsed by the Republican Party D/R = Endorsed by both parties See also Courts of Connecticut

References

External links Connecticut Probate Court website Connecticut Probate Court entry on Judgepedia