State Senator Paul Doyle
September 24, 2009
Doyle Hails Senate Passage of Bill Creating New Probate Court System
State Senator Paul Doyle (D-Wethersfield), a key member of the ad hoc probate court reform committee last spring, welcomed today’s Senate approval of 54 new Probate Court districts in Connecticut, the most noticeable of many changes in a sweeping overhaul of the state’s probate court system.
The committee on which Senator Doyle served earlier this year met regularly for months prior to enactment of landmark legislation in June to consolidate and shore up the probate courts, which had become financially unsustainable. Today’s Senate vote represents final action on that effort.
“With all due respect to the historic and fundamental role of Probate Courts in Connecticut it became readily apparent in recent years that the system could not continue unaltered,” Senator Doyle said. “First of all, its financial underpinnings were unsustainable, and secondly, our increasingly complicated culture demands a more sophisticated approach to the resolution of traditional probate matters.”
Senator Doyle said the overhaul finalized today will streamline the system to the benefit of residents who require help while navigating sometimes-delicate probate matters. These include estate settlements, child custody, and resolution of other personal and family issues.
“Connecticut residents use probate courts only rarely, but almost always at some of the most significant crossroads of their lives, so we wanted to maintain an emphasis on personal service, attention to detail, and sensitivity to the nature of the issues at hand,” Senator Doyle said. “I’m convinced our current, unprecedented economic circumstance accelerated completion of these reforms; I’m equally convinced we improved our probate court system even as we expect to save the state millions of dollars each year.”
“Today’s action completes a process begun years ago to bring vital probate court services current with the 21st century needs of Connecticut residents,” Senator Doyle said. “I’m confident that once these new districts are incorporated and new court facilities prepared, people will welcome the more professional approach of regional courts with regular, full-time hours, rather than the many part-time courts operating currently.”
Senator Doyle is serving his second Senate term after six terms in the House. He is the Senate Chair of the legislature’s Human Services Committee, vice-chair of its Select Committee on Housing, and serves on the Judiciary and Regulations Review Committees as well.
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Senator Doyles’s |
Listing of Senator Doyle’s recent press releases and a Press Kit with official head shots and bio. |
Press Aide Laurence Grotheer |
