Local attorney Ken Barber seeks election as head of new regional probate court

Attorney Ken Barber, a Democratic Judge of Probate candidate for the new court comprising East Hampton, Portland, Marlborough and East Haddam, recently hosted a Q&A session for the East Haddam Democratic Town Committee at the Gelston House.

Connecticut’s probate court system will be consolidated from 117 courts to 54 regional courts. The new system goes into effect Jan. 5, 2011.

Each regional probate court will become a single district with a single judge, who will be chosen in the November 2010 elections.

Probate courts handle such legal issues as settling estates, child custody and resolution of other personal and family issues.

The rules establishing the state’s new regional system were signed into law by the governor in June 2009.

The changes are expected to save the system – which was unable to survive on user fees – nearly $8 million annually.

Unlike previous town probate courts that were open 20 hours a week, the regional probate courts are required to operate 40 hours a week, with new professional standards that require each district’s judge to be an experienced attorney.

Current judges who are not members of the Connecticut Bar Association are allowed to run for re-election in 2010, but new candidates must be attorneys

“I have been in the probate courts numerous times,” Barber said.  “I know what it’s like to be the individuals in front of the judge and how often the proceedings need to move quickly,” he said.

Barber, who lives in East Hampton, holds degrees from the University of Connecticut, University of New Haven, Eastern Connecticut State University and Manchester Community College.

He has experience as a captain in the National Guard, an officer and sergeant in police departments, an adjunct professor at the University of Hartford, and as a lawyer in his current  partnership in Barber & Roberts, Attorneys, East Hampton.

“If elected to the judgeship, which is full-time, I will step back from my practice” he said.  “Barber & Roberts will not have any probate clients.”

“I will have set office hours each month in every town, and will go directly to the nursing homes, senior centers, wherever needed – in effect, ‘riding the circuit’ – to explain the system and bring the personal service needed,” he said.

Currently, this region’s probate court is planned to be located in East Hampton.

Barber feels his active practice has provided important, empathetic experience and that the changes in the probate system – in which judges and office support are state-funded – are good.

For more information about Barber’s campaign, call 860-798-1548 or visit the Web site at  www.barberforprobate.com [the site was still under construction as of this posting date].

Posted March 16, 2010

[HTNP.com Editor Brenda Sullivan contributed background information to this story.]

Related Links:

Editorial, State Rep. Bob Godfrey, “Probate change has been contentious, but successful.”

– http://www.housedems.ct.gov/Godfrey/pr110-09.asp#121109

“Cost-saving closure of Probate Court under way for area” (06-24-2009, Middletown Press) -

http://www.middletownpress.com/articles/2009/06/24/news/doc4a42d91b7b9ec329812401.txt