Children's Matters


Regional Probate Court For Children's Matters

One major exception regarding the location of probate hearings concerns children’s matters. East Haven participates in the New Haven Regional Probate Court for Children’s Matters, located at 873 State Street, New Haven, Connecticut. Applications in matters involving the custody or guardianship of children in East Haven are filed in the local probate office in Town Hall. If an emergency initial meeting is necessary, that too will be conducted in the East Haven Probate Court. From that point on, the case is transferred to the Regional Probate Court for Children’s Matters, and all further hearings are held there. The benefit of the Regional Court is that its centralized staff includes Probate Court Officers with social work backgrounds, trained to assist families in crisis. Also, the Department of Children and Families stations several of its caseworkers right in the offices of the Regional Court.

Although the case is transferred to the Regional Court, Judge Albis remains the judge primarily assigned to East Haven cases. He presides over the hearings in children’s matters in the Regional Court, just as he would in the local court. However, another advantage of the Regional Court is that probate judges throughout the New Haven area participate, enabling them to help each other in cases from each others communities when emergency or other circumstances warrant.