Connecticut General Statutes 45a-68 – Probate judge to file statement of financial interests
(a) Each probate judge shall file under penalty of false statement, a statement of financial interests for the preceding calendar year with the Council on Probate Judicial Conduct established in section 45a-62, on or before April fifteenth next following for any year in which the probate judge holds such position.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 45a-68
- Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
- Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
- Germane: On the subject of the pending bill or other business; a strict standard of relevance.
- Impeachment: (1) The process of calling something into question, as in "impeaching the testimony of a witness." (2) The constitutional process whereby the House of Representatives may "impeach" (accuse of misconduct) high officers of the federal government for trial in the Senate.
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- Probate: Proving a will
- Real property: Land, and all immovable fixtures erected on, growing on, or affixed to the land.
- Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
- Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
(b) The statement shall be on a form provided by the Council on Probate Judicial Conduct and shall include the following information for the preceding calendar year regarding the probate judge, his or her spouse and the dependent children living in his or her household: (1) The name of all businesses with which the probate judge, his or her spouse or any such child is associated; (2) the category or type of all sources of his or her income and that of his or her spouse or each child, in excess of one thousand dollars, but amounts of income need not be specified, and the names and addresses of specific clients and customers who provide more than five thousand dollars of income, but amounts of income need not be specified; (3) the name of each security in excess of five thousand dollars at fair market value owned by the probate judge or spouse or any such child or held in the name of a corporation, partnership or trust for the benefit of the probate judge, his or her spouse or any such child except in the case of a trust established by the probate judge, spouse or child for the purpose of divesting the probate judge or his or her spouse or any such child of all control and knowledge of the probate judge’s, spouse’s or child’s assets in order to avoid a conflict of interest during the probate judge’s term of office, but only the existence of such trust and the name of the trustee shall be included, and the value need not be specified; (4) all real property and its location, whether owned by the probate judge, his or her spouse or any such child or held in the name of a corporation, partnership or trust for the benefit of the probate judge, spouse or child. Each probate judge shall file a disclosure of any fees or honorariums received for his or her own or his or her spouse’s or child’s appearance or the delivery of an address to any meeting of any organization within thirty days after receipt of the fee or honorarium.
(c) The statement or disclosure filed pursuant to this section shall be a matter of public information, except that the list of names filed in accordance with subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of this section shall be sealed and confidential and for the use of the council only if an investigation has been initiated or a hearing is held under section 45a-63 and the council is of the opinion that disclosure of such list is germane to its investigation or hearing, or both. The list may also be subject to a subpoena in any criminal prosecution or impeachment proceedings.
(d) The financial statement and disclosure, except as otherwise provided in this section, shall be open to inspection at the Office of the Probate Court Administrator.