Connecticut lawmakers are being asked to approve a plan that would revamp the state’s probate system, which is losing $20,000 daily amid a rising demand for services.
Probate Court Administrator Paul Knierim says the reform proposal is supported by most of the 117 judges around the state. It encourages the voluntary consolidation of courts, streamlines the courts’ financial structure and operations, restructures compensation for judges and creates a probate appellate system.
The plan requires $5 million from the state in the 2010-11 fiscal year. Given the state’s fiscal crisis, it’s uncertain whether the money will be approved by the General Assembly.
Knierim says there’s been a huge increase in probate cases involving mental health, children’s and conservatorship issues. (AP)
