This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.

Will Set a New High Bar

Probate courts are thought of as the place where wills are heard and finalized. But probate courts, and more specifically, probate judges, do so much more than divvy up estates. They are often asked to make decisions that will have a powerful impact on people who come before the court.

I’ve learned this through my 35 years as a clinical social worker. Throughout my career, I’ve been asked to attend probate proceedings ranging from conservatorship matters to child guardianship issues. On any given day, a probate judge may have before him the case of an elderly man with dementia in need of a court assigned person to make his future decisions, or a child in need of guardianship after losing her parents in a car accident, or parents desperate to save their son from drug addiction and are asking the court to order him confined for treatment.

People in these situations are in crisis. My experience tells me that they need an empathic and knowledgeable judge, one who will use his legal expertise to make appropriate and compassionate decisions. They need a judge who is relatable and with whom they can safely share their concerns. They need a judge who understands that the best decision for a person might not be the decision the person wants but rather needs. They need to feel respected and be treated with dignity.

They need Chuck Tiernan, who is running for Probate Judge for Branford and North Branford. Not only does he have all of the aforementioned qualities, but he will set a new high bar for future candidates against which to measure themselves. Branford and North Branford will be privileged to have Chuck Tiernan as Probate Judge. Please join me in voting for him on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Christine Simpson

Branford