Probate Court Administrator Resigns

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — The head of Connecticut’s probate courts will resign in October after six years of trying to institute major reforms that were strongly opposed by judges.

Probate court administrator James Lawlor submitted his resignation Monday to state Supreme Court Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers.

Lawlor, 65, a Democrat from Waterbury, declined to say exactly why he was resigning from the job, which pays about $150,000 a year.

“I’ve always recognized the fact that I’m temporary,” he told The Hartford. “It’s not a permanent job.”

Lawlor had called for more rigorous training for judges and staff, more financial auditing, and more oversight from the central office for the state’s 117 probate courts, many of which have been criticized for perceived cronyism and inconsistent performance.

He also proposed consolidating some courts, which would result in some judges losing their jobs.

Local probate judges worked for years with virtually no supervision. When Lawlor tried to impose reforms, the judges fought back.

Probate courts are known primarily for settling people’s estates after they die. They also handle commitments of people with mental illness, termination of parental rights, and other matters involving children and the elderly.

Lawlor’s resignation came as a surprise to state lawmakers and Governor M. Jodi Rell. His successor has not been named, but must be a sitting probate judge.

“He has been playing the honest broker, moving in the direction of reform,” said state Representative Michael Lawlor, D-East Haven, co-chairman of the legislature’s Judiciary Committee.

Joseph Secola, a Republican probate judge in Brookfield, has been a leader of a group of probate judges from small towns who opposed Lawlor’s consolidation plans.

“I’m looking forward to a fresh start,” he said.

The state’s probate courts have been having money problems, and a group of judges is working on a cost-cutting plan. Even small-town judges expect some courts to close because of financial pressures.

Rep Michael Lawlor said he expects improvements to the probate court system in the future.

“It reminds me of the county sheriff system — something that was an anachronism and all these miniscandals came up,” Lawlor said. “It’s certainly something that needs reform.”