Probate Courts-Reorganization

Topic:
PROBATE COURT;
Location:
COURTS - PROBATE;

OLR Research Report


June 25, 2004		2004-R-0449
PROBATE COURTS-REORGANIZATION

By: George Coppolo, Chief Attorney

You asked how many probate courts would be affected if the law required that each probate court have at least 1% of the state’s population, or at least 1% of the value of the estates filed annually.

SUMMARY

Currently there are 123 probate court districts in Connecticut. The statistics in this report however are based on calendar year 2002, the most recent year for complete and verified statistics. In 2002 there were 130 courts. Legislation enacted this session eliminates four single-town districts and combines the four towns into the Northwest Corner Probate District. This change becomes effective January 3, 2007.

There is a great population disparity among probate districts. The Bridgeport probate district serves the largest population-139,529 people. The Cornwall district serves the smallest-1,431.

The state’s population is 3,405,565. One percent of this is 34,056 people. Thirty-six probate districts serve a population that is above 34,056, while 94 probate districts serve populations below this figure.

Linda Dow, counsel for the Office of Probate Court Administrator, indicated that although data is available on the value of the estates filed annually in each probate court, there is no mechanism to create, collate, and report that data. Data concerning gross receipts collected is reported each year. For 2002, the most recent year for which data is available, the total amount of receipts collected by all the probate courts was $ 25,003,968. One percent of this amount is $ 250,040. Thirty-four of the probate districts collected gross receipts of at least $ 250,000, while 96 districts collected less.

2004 LEGISLATION-PA 04-19

During the 2004 legislative session, the legislature passed a law that eliminates the probate districts of (1) Canaan, consisting of the towns of Canaan and North Canaan; (2) Cornwall, consisting of the town of Cornwall; (3) Salisbury, consisting of the town of Salisbury; and (4) Sharon, consisting of the town of Sharon (SB 231, PA 04-19).

The act establishes a new probate district of the Northwest Corner, consisting of all the towns from the probate districts the act eliminates: Canaan, Cornwall, North Canaan, Salisbury, and Sharon.

The act requires a judge to be elected for the newly created probate district in 2006 and every four years thereafter. Beginning January 3, 2007, the act gives the probate court for the newly created district jurisdiction over all probate business arising in the towns comprising it.

PROBATE COURT DISTRICTS BY POPULATION

Table 1 reflects the probate court districts arranged by population from the court that serves the largest population (Bridgeport) to the court that serves the smallest population (Cornwall) for 2002. It also shows the gross receipts collected by each district during that year. (Note: √ indicates those courts which were consolidated effective January 2003. )

Table 1-Probate Courts by Population Served

*Population*	*District*	*Gross* *Receipts*
139,529	Bridgeport	662,072
128,937	Waterbury	730,792
123,626	New Haven	664,482
121,578	Hartford	767,946
117,083	Stamford	1,003,811
100,584	Norwalk	775,379
89,753	Berlin	573,710
74,848	Danbury	348,064
73,543	Newington	610,604
66,868	Middletown	464,427
63,589	West Hartford	793,838
61,101	Greenwich	1,199,388
60,762	Trumbull	447,814
60,062	Bristol	291,619
58,244	Meriden	311,089
57,340	Fairfield	801,677
56,913	Hamden	379,818
54,740	Manchester	413,730
52,360	West Haven	224,342
52,305	Milford	365,328
52,208	Norwich	346,065
49,976	Stratford	374,504
49,575	East Hartford	316,223
46,399	Derby	265,869
45,212	Enfield	240,182
44,823	New London	333,970
43,026	Wallingford	289,623
40,984	Ellington	178,714
39,907	Groton	251,841
39,728	Southington	202,435
38,101	Shelton	212,026
37,899	Torrington	242,739
37,250	Cheshire	174,120
36,235	Naugatuck	145,906
35,786	Westport	662,955

-Continued-

*Population*	*District*	*Gross* *Receipts*
34,230	East Windsor	200,420
32,224	Mansfield	145,201
31,876	Glastonbury	204,147
28,945	New Milford	181,614
28,683	Branford	269,193
28,237	Windsor	190,190
28,189	East Haven	95,440
25,031	Newtown	147,700
24,413	Windham	94,485
23,643	Ridgefield	192,436
23,641	Farmington	257,174
23,234	Simsbury	163,383
23,035	North Haven	170,583
22,417	Stafford	131,584
21,661	Watertown √	115,704
21,398	Guilford	252,500
19,607	Darien	340,494
19,587	Bloomfield	310,393
19,395	New Canaan	387,852
19,105	Tolland	82,023
18,567	Southbury	388,800
18,546	Montville	77,901
18,118	East Lyme	116,140
18,067	Bethel	81,656
17,906	Stonington	225,776
17,858	Madison	183,675
17,328	Plainville	120,868
16,472	Killingly	72,039
15,832	Avon	111,039
15,664	Brookfield	114,409
14,687	Ledyard	56,469
14,619	Plainfield	47,830
14,551	Colchester	75,819
13,953	New Fairfield	51,068
13,906	North Branford	186,417
13,552	Suffield	102,563
13,352	East Hampton	52,325
13,233	Orange	104,565
13,094	Clinton	60,910
13,024	Andover	59,639

-Continued-

*Population*	*District*	*Gross* *Receipts*
12,620	Woodbury	109,843
12,135	Winchester	94,235
12,043	Windsor Locks	65,336
11,871	Litchfield	169,182
11,634	Plymouth	23,560
10,807	Griswold	46,783
10,367	Old Saybrook	128,917
10,347	Granby	55,671
9,821	Oxford	30,858
9,002	Putnam	41,814
8,983	Woodbridge	95,448
8,878	Thompson	41,391
8,840	Canton	58,403
8,732	Portland	70,810
8,610	Hebron	19,564
8,333	East Haddam	60,718
8,270	Redding	66,099
8,190	Burlington	21,275
7,503	Thomaston	27,707
7,406	Old Lyme	147,711
7,221	Woodstock	31,089
7,173	Brooklyn	36,444
7,157	Haddam	46,752
6,907	Lebanon √	37,560
6,505	Essex	152,866
6,292	Westbrook	51,835
6,088	New Hartford	42,755
6,018	Killingworth	36,090
5,709	Marlborough	15,785
5,283	Harwinton	25,524
5,040	Bethany	36,950
4,991	North Stonington	19,282
4,745	East Granby	20,112
4,692	Canterbury √	19,671
4,610	Deep River	33,995
4,431	Canaan	47,520
4,098	Ashford	12,744
3,977	Salisbury	132,536
3,868	Eastford	16,207
3,858	Salem	28,815
3,827	Sherman √	31,739

-Continued-

*Population*	*District*	*Gross* *Receipts*
3,798	Pomfret	25,272
3,743	Saybrook	54,200
3,596	Washington	109,749
3,494	Barkhamsted √	12,987
3,099	Sterling √	11,081
2,968	Sharon	32,832
2,858	Kent	42,068
2,357	Bozrah	11,025
2,136	Roxbury	34,719
2,016	Lyme	50,314
2,012	Hartland √	11,637
1,758	Hampton	9,935
1,660	Norfolk	40,795
1,434	Cornwall	16,233

Comparative Report For Year Ending December 31, 2002

(Based on Court Income Reports and Tally Sheets filed in 2002)

PROBATE DISTRICTS BY GROSS RECEIPTS

Table 2 reflects the probate court districts arranged by gross receipts for 2002 from the court with the largest gross receipts (Greenwich) to the court with the smallest gross receipts (Hampton) for 2002. It also shows the population for each district that year. (Note: √ indicates those courts which were consolidated effective January 2003. )

Table 2-Probate Courts by Gross Receipts

*Pop. (1)*	*District*	*Gross* *Receipts*
61,101	Greenwich	1,199,388
117,083	Stamford	1,003,811
57,340	Fairfield	801,677
63,589	West Hartford	793,838
100,584	Norwalk	775,379
121,578	Hartford	767,946
128,937	Waterbury	730,792
123,626	New Haven	664,482
35,786	Westport	662,955
139,529	Bridgeport	662,072
73,543	Newington	610,604

-Continued-

*Pop. (1)*	*District*	*Gross* *Receipts*
89,753	Berlin	573,710
66,868	Middletown	464,427
60,762	Trumbull	447,814
54,740	Manchester	413,730
18,567	Southbury	388,800
19,395	New Canaan	387,852
56,913	Hamden	379,818
49,976	Stratford	374,504
52,305	Milford	365,328
74,848	Danbury	348,064
52,208	Norwich	346,065
19,607	Darien	340,494
44,823	New London	333,970
49,575	East Hartford	316,223
58,244	Meriden	311,089
19,587	Bloomfield	310,393
60,062	Bristol	291,619
43,026	Wallingford	289,623
28,683	Branford	269,193
46,399	Derby	265,869
23,641	Farmington	257,174
21,398	Guilford	252,500
39,907	Groton	251,841
37,899	Torrington	242,739
45,212	Enfield	240,182
17,906	Stonington	225,776
52,360	West Haven	224,342
38,101	Shelton	212,026
31,876	Glastonbury	204,147
39,728	Southington	202,435
34,230	East Windsor	200,420
23,643	Ridgefield	192,436
28,237	Windsor	190,190
13,906	North Branford	186,417
17,858	Madison	183,675
28,945	New Milford	181,614
40,984	Ellington	178,714
37,250	Cheshire	174,120
23,035	North Haven	170,583
11,871	Litchfield	169,182
23,234	Simsbury	163,383

-Continued-

*Pop. (1)*	*District*	*Gross* *Receipts*
6,505	Essex	152,866
7,406	Old Lyme	147,711
25,031	Newtown	147,700
36,235	Naugatuck	145,906
32,224	Mansfield	145,201
3,977	Salisbury	132,536
22,417	Stafford	131,584
10,367	Old Saybrook	128,917
17,328	Plainville	120,868
18,118	East Lyme	116,140
21,661	Watertown √	115,704
15,664	Brookfield	114,409
15,832	Avon	111,039
12,620	Woodbury	109,843
3,596	Washington	109,749
13,233	Orange	104,565
13,552	Suffield	102,563
8,983	Woodbridge	95,448
28,189	East Haven	95,440
24,413	Windham	94,485
12,135	Winchester	94,235
19,105	Tolland	82,023
18,067	Bethel	81,656
18,546	Montville	77,901
14,551	Colchester	75,819
16,472	Killingly	72,039
8,732	Portland	70,810
8,270	Redding	66,099
12,043	Windsor Locks	65,336
13,094	Clinton	60,910
8,333	East Haddam	60,718
13,024	Andover	59,639
8,840	Canton	58,403
14,687	Ledyard	56,469
10,347	Granby	55,671
3,743	Saybrook	54,200
13,352	East Hampton	52,325
6,292	Westbrook	51,835
13,953	New Fairfield	51,068
2,016	Lyme	50,314
14,619	Plainfield	47,830

-Continued-

*Pop. (1)*	*District*	*Gross* *Receipts*
4,431	Canaan	47,520
10,807	Griswold	46,783
7,157	Haddam	46,752
6,088	New Hartford	42,755
2,858	Kent	42,068
9,002	Putnam	41,814
8,878	Thompson	41,391
1,660	Norfolk	40,795
6,907	Lebanon √	37,560
5,040	Bethany	36,950
7,173	Brooklyn	36,444
6,018	Killingworth	36,090
2,136	Roxbury	34,719
4,610	Deep River	33,995
2,968	Sharon	32,832
3,827	Sherman √	31,739
7,221	Woodstock	31,089
9,821	Oxford	30,858
3,858	Salem	28,815
7,503	Thomaston	27,707
5,283	Harwinton	25,524
3,798	Pomfret	25,272
11,634	Plymouth	23,560
8,190	Burlington	21,275
4,745	East Granby	20,112
4,692	Canterbury √	19,671
8,610	Hebron	19,564
4,991	No. Stonington	19,282
1,434	Cornwall	16,233
3,868	Eastford	16,207
5,709	Marlborough	15,785
3,494	Barkhamsted √	12,987
4,098	Ashford	12,744
2,012	Hartland √	11,637
3,099	Sterling √	11,081
2,357	Bozrah	11,025
1,758	Hampton	9,935

Comparative Report For Year Ending December 31, 2002

(Based on Court Income Reports and Tally Sheets filed in 2002)

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