7august 23, 2010connecticut law tribune

Fall Ballot Is Filled With Friendly RivalsSeveral probate judge races feature two incumbents

By CHRISTIAN NOLAN

Given the hotly contested races for governor, U.S. Senate and attorney general, most vot-

ers probably aren’t focused on the battles for probate court judgeships. That’s too bad. It’s likely the only place on the ballot where you might find two incumbents squaring off.

In fact, that’s happening in at least nine pro-bate districts across Connecticut, covering sev-eral dozen towns.

Longtime Fairfield Probate Judge Daniel Caruso, who is also president of the state’s Pro-bate Assembly, said many of the judges running against one another know their rivals well. In the past, they might have filled in for each other when one went on vacation or became ill.

“This is the first time you’d have two incum-bents facing each other,” said Caruso, who is run-ning against Democrat Pamela C. Jones, a first-time candidate. “Everyone knows each other. We expect good sportsmanship on all sides.”

The elections are the next step in the process of reforming Connecticut’s probate court sys-tem. The current 117 districts are being pared to 54. While many of the old districts were made up of only one town, most of the new districts – about 40 in all – have two or more towns.

With the Aug. 10 primary elections now past, the line-ups for the fall races have been set. Roughly 75 percent of the candidates on the ballot are current judges. In some cases, they are running against newcomers. In others, two sit-

ting judges are going head to head.That’s the case in the Litchfield Hills, where

12 towns form one district. That election will pit incumbent Litchfield Judge Diane Blick against Patrick Wall, the Republican probate judge in Harwinton.

Meanwhile, down on the Long Island coast-line, Republican Joel Helander, the Guilford probate judge for more than 20 years, will run against current Madison Judge Phillip Zucker-man, a Democrat completing his first term.

Helander is one of only four current probate court judges who are not lawyers who are seek-ing re-election. Beginning with this election, all new probate judges must be lawyers. The other non-lawyers on the November ballot are Blick, Cheryl Brown in Tolland, and David Griffiths in Killingly.

Griffiths, a Democrat, edged out Plainfield Judge Kathleen Sendley Barry in one of several small-town primaries pitting earlier this month.

‘It’s Bittersweet’ For the newly established Northern Fairfield

County probate district three Republican can-didates battled for the nomination. Getting the nod was another 20-year veteran, Ridgefield Judge Joseph A. Egan Jr. He defeated Daniel O’Grady, the current Bethel probate judge and Moira Rodgers, the Newtown judge.

“It’s a little bittersweet,” Egan recently told the

On The Ballot Here are the final match-ups of candidates in Connecticut’s new probate districts. Incumbents are marked in bold. More than 10 districts feature two incumbents squaring off, as the state has reduced the number of districts from 117 to 54.

Probate District Democrat RepublicanHartford Robert K. Killian, Jr.

West Hartford Sydney W. Elkin

Region No. 3 (Includes Bloomfield, East Granby, Suffield) Steven M. Zelman Edward G. McAnaney

Region No. 4 (Includes Windsor, East Windsor, South Windsor) Brian T. Griffin Marianne Lassman Fisher

East Hartford Allan T. Driscoll

Glastonbury-Hebron Peter Jay Alter

Newington Robert A. Randich Richard Roberts

Berlin Walter A. Clebowicz Walter A. Clebowicz

Simsbury Regional David M. Moore Cynthia C. Becker

Farmington-Burlington Evelyn M. Daly

North Central Connecticut Mark J. Maniscalco Timothy R. Keeney

Ellington O. James Purnell, III O. James Purnell, III

Greater Manchester Michael M. Darby Elaine N. Camposeo

Region No. 14 (Includes East Hampton, East Haddam, Portland) Stephen E. Kinsella Jennifer L. Berkenstock

Middletown Joseph D. Marino

Meriden Brian T. Mahon

Wallingford Philip A. Wright, Jr.

Cheshire-Southington Bryan F. Meccariello Matthew J. Jalowiec

Region No. 19 (Includes Bristol, Plymouth) Andre D. Dorval

Waterbury Thomas P. Brunnock

Naugatuck Peter E. Mariano Peter E. Mariano

Region No. 22 (Includes Woodbury, Southbury, Oxford) John W. Fertig, Jr. Domenick Calabrese

Torrington Area Michael F. Magistrali

Litchfield Hills Diane S. Blick Patrick J. Wall

Mansfield-Tolland Claire C. Twerdy Cheryl H. Brown

Northeast Regional Leah P. Shad Stephen Adams

Plainfield-Killingly Regional David A. Griffiths Carol Anne Rowe

Windham-Colchester John J. McGrath Jodi M. Thomas

Norwich Kathryn D. Guinan Chuck K. Norris

Southeastern Corner Regional Frederick W. Palm, Jr. Constantine G. Antipas

New London Mathew H. Greene Mathew H. Greene

Niantic Regional John W. Butts Jeffrey A. McNamara

Saybrook Terrance D. Lomme Anselmo Delia

Madison-Guilford Phillip Zuckerman Joel E. Helander

Branford-North Branford Keith Sittnick Frank J. Forgione

East Haven-North Haven Michael A. Albis Michael R. Brandt

Hamden-Bethany Salvatore L. Diglio

New Haven John A. Keyes

West Haven Mark J. DeGennaro

Milford-Orange Beverly Streit-Kefalas John J. Carangelo

Derby Clifford D. Hoyle George Porter

Shelton Fred J. Anthony

Danbury Dianne E. Yamin

Housatonic Martin F. Landgrebe

Northern Fairfield County Timothy J. Holian Joseph A. Egan, Jr.

Trumbull Amy E. Todisco John P. Chiota

Stratford Kent M. Miller F. Paul Kurmay

Bridgeport Paul J. Ganim

Fairfield Pamela C. Jones Daniel F. Caruso

Westport Kevin M. O’Grady Jacob P. Bryniczka

Norwalk-Wilton Anthony J. DePanfilis

Darien-New Canaan Michael P. Murray

Stamford Gerald M. Fox, Jr.

Greenwich David W. Hopper

n see match-ups on PAGE 10