A Difference of Opinion Columns

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The Hartford Courant’s Rick Green (right) has been railing against the deficiencies of the state’s probate court system for a few years. So when we read his fellow Courant columnist Kevin Rennie’s piece this morning that defended the system, Rick came to mind. Apparently Rick read Kevin’s column too. Rick writes on his blog, CT Confidential, “Did he (Rennie)miss the case of the German woman held against her will? How about the Michigan grandmother imprisoned in a nursing home in Greenwich? Or the New York man locked in a Waterbury nursing home? Or the outrageous fees and “hearings” that probate imposes upon people?”

5 COMMENTS

  1. What planet is Mr. Rennie living on? CT’s Probate Court system, is a bloated, bumbling, “good old boy” network that needs to be not just restructured–it needs to be reformed. My experience with the “system” after my husband’s death was horrific. I was FORCED to allow a lawyer into the mix to represent one of my stepsons (who did not ask for one) who only succeeded in creating a completely unneeded rift between him and his brother and me. This attorney AND the Probate Judge LIED to me at a meeting, and later claimed that the meeting was not taped, even though I saw the recorder being turned on. I could go on, but you get it…the system is disgusting and does more harm than good for many of those forced to deal with it. Months ago, I wrote a letter to the administration of the state Probate Court office. I never received a reply…I’m not surprised.

  2. Although not judicially appropriate, I had the urge to find Kevin Rennie and hug him! It’s about time we heard from someone who might actually know what goes on in the Probate Court and is conversant with the Statutes, unlike the shoot-from-the-hip Rick Green. In journalist style, he uses inflammatory terms such as “imprisoned in the nursing home,” “locked in a Waterbury nursing home,” etc. Of course, we are outraged.

    Perhaps an OBJECTIVE look at the actual file by someone who understands the procedure might shed some light on this. If, indeed, there were irregularities, perhaps the Probate Administrator should have been looking into the matters and taken disciplinary action. Consolidating courts and requiring Judges to be attorneys would certainly not be the solution, since I believe attorney Judges were involved in his reporting.

    As to “outrageous fees and ‘hearings’ that Probate imposes upon people,” I would refer Mr. Green to CGS 45a-105 noting that the entry fee for Conservatorships is $150! (with a $25 fee per hour for any hearing over an hour, max $300). Also, a check of 45a-108 notes fees for hearings on Conservator Accounts as $50-$750 MAX, depending on the amount of inventory. If retained or appointed attorneys are charging exhorbitant fees, that is still no reason to start wrecking the system. Deal with the attorneys.

    I have been a judge in a small court district for 20 years and will be retiring next month. Thankfully, none of this debacle will effect me. I have enjoyed my time but leave with a saddened heart for the people of my district and all other small districts who are the ones who will pay the price. I don’t know where Rick lives but I am glad that by the time he needs a probate court, he will have to deal with one of the new mega-courts he is claiming to have created.

  3. If any changes are going to be made, the probate courts should be moved to Superior Court. The Superior already has competent Judges that know what they are doing. The space is already there. And you can do away with the office of the probate court administrator. The CT. probate Courts are riddled with fraud and judges that do not know the law. Superior court is the way to go. Just closing courts is not reform. Way to many of us have been abused by the probate courts and the judges and these judges are attorneys that have experience. The state of Ct has a probate Judge that has violated professional conduct while in private practice and he is a probate Judge? Something is wrong with the probate court system in ct and just closing courts is not reform. I have been personally junked up in the probate court because the probate judge did not take the time to read the same laws that I read and found on the internet. As it stands now if you have a problem in the probate court there is no one to go to. You can try to send letters and make phone calls to the probate court administrators office , but they will not get back to you . reform make changes for improvement in order to remove abuse and injustices; “reform a political system” How can we the people expect to get real reform when the person in charge of the reform or anyone from his office will not get back to you when you report abuse.