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Preserving the Past, Informing the Future | Skip Navigation Links |
Connecticut Judicial Department
Agency Web page |
Statutory Authority |Agency/
Court History |
Published histories/articles |
State Library Collections |
List of Chief Justices
Statutory Authority :
Connecticut State Constitution, Article Fifth
CGS Title 51, Chapter 870 (Judicial Department)
Agency Web page :
http://www.jud.ct.gov/
Agency/ Court History :
Commissioners of General and Particular Courts carried out the earliest judicial
functions of the Colony of Connecticut, and appeals were taken to the General
Assembly.
1665 - County Courts established.
1711 - Superior Court established
1784 - Supreme Court of Errors established, consisting of the Lieutenant Governor and Council.
1793 - Governor added to Supreme Court as presiding judge.
1818 - Constitution established an independent judiciary, with a Chief Judge and four assistant judges, and provided for "inferior courts" to be provided as necessary by the Legislature.
1831 - County Courts established in each county.
1855 - Superior Court replaced County Courts.
1869-1872 - Individual Courts of Common Pleas established.
1941 - General Assembly enacted legislation to establish a single Court of Common Pleas for the entire state.
1960 - Statewide Circuit Courts established following the elimination of county government.
1974 - Circuit Court merged with Court of Common Pleas.
1978 - Court of Common Pleas and Juvenile Court merged with Superior Cour.t
1982 - Appellate Court created by Constitutional amendment.
see also "History of the Courts" compiled by the Connecticut Judicial Branch
Biennial Report & Statistics of the Judicial Department in State Library Collection are located in: Conn Doc Ju100re
Check the State Library catalog, CONSULS, under these author headings for publications by the Judicial Department available in the State Library :
Juvenile Justice Implementation Team Report
Memorials and other speeches about Connecticut Judges and Attorneys.
Published histories/articles about the Judicial Branch and courts of Connecticut.
Research Guide to Probate Records at the Connecticut State Library
Research Guide to Connecticut Probate Districts
Connecticut's "Early General Records"
State Archives. See also Guide to the Archives in the State Library
State Archives Record Group : RG 001
Connecticut Archives. Court papers, 1st series, 1700-1705
Connecticut Archives. Crimes and misdemeanors, 1st series, 1662/3-1789
State Archives Record Group : RG 003
List of Chief Justices from 1711 - date, prepared by the Office of the Secretary of the State
List of Chief Justices from 1818 forward:
|
Name |
Years of Service as Chief Justice |
|
Zephaniah Swift |
1815-1819 |
|
Stephen Titus Hosmer |
1819-1833 |
|
David Daggett |
1833-1834 |
|
Thomas Scott Williams |
1834-1847 |
|
Samuel Church |
1847-1854 |
|
Henry Matson Waite |
1854-1857 |
|
William Lucius Storrs |
1857-1861 |
|
Joel Hinman |
1861-1870 |
|
Thomas Belden Butler |
1870-1873 |
|
Origen Storrs Seymour |
1873-1874 |
|
John Duane Park |
1874-1889 |
|
Charles Bartlett Andrews |
1889-1901 |
|
David Torrance |
1901-1906 |
|
Simeon E. Baldwin |
1907-1910 |
|
Samuel O. Prentice |
1913-1920 |
|
George W. Wheeler |
1920-1930 |
|
William M. Maltbie |
1930-1950 |
|
Allyn L. Brown |
1950-1953 |
|
Ernest A. Inglis |
1953-1957 |
|
Patrick B. O'Sullivan |
1957-1957 |
|
Kenneth Wynne |
1957-1958 |
|
Edward J. Daly |
1958-1959 |
|
Raymond E. Baldwin |
1959-1963 |
|
John Hamilton King |
1963-1970 |
|
Howard W. Alcorn |
1970-1971 |
|
Charles S. House |
1971-1978 |
|
John P. Cotter |
1978-1981 |
|
Joseph Bogdanski |
1981-1981 |
|
John Speziale |
1981-1984 |
|
Ellen A. Peters |
1984-1996 |
|
Robert J. Callahan |
1996-1999 |
|
Francis M. McDonald, Jr. |
1999-2001 |
|
William J. Sullivan |
2001-2006 |
| David M. Borden (Acting) | April 15, 2006-April 2007 |
| Chase T. Rogers | April 2007-Present |
Prepared by the Government Information and Reference Services Unit, page revised 4/2008.