Download - Connecticut Probate Judge Races
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