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COMMISSION TO STUDY ATTORNEY GRIEVANCE
PROCESS TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING IN NEW LONDON
HARTFORD
– The Commission to Study the Attorney Grievance Process will conduct
a public hearing on Monday, March 20th at 7 p.m. in the New London Superior
Court to receive comments regarding the attorney disciplinary system in Connecticut. The
Commission was formed by the State Judicial Branch to enhance the attorney disciplinary
process. It is charged with conducting a comprehensive review of the attorney disciplinary
system and making recommendations to address how the current system can be improved.
"The regulation of attorneys admitted to
practice law in the State of Connecticut is one of the many important functions of the
Judiciary," said Supreme Court Justice Francis M. McDonald, Jr., who appointed the
Commission members. "A major part of that responsibility is the attorney disciplinary
process by which claims of attorney misconduct are investigated and resolved."
Currently, the judges of the Connecticut
Superior Court delegate much of the attorney disciplinary review process to the Statewide
Grievance Committee and to the Judicial District Grievance Panels. These groups are
comprised of dedicated volunteers—attorneys and non-attorneys alike—and are
assisted by Judicial Branch staff.
"We cannot overemphasize the importance of
such a process," said former Supreme Court Justice Robert I. Berdon, chair of the
Commission.
"The Judicial Branch is committed to
ensuring that any system that is developed receives input from members of the
public," explained Berdon. " I encourage individuals who have gone through the
Attorney Grievance Process to attend the public hearing to provide the Commission with
suggestions on how to improve the process. It is through such input and constant
re-examination of the process that the Judiciary can ensure the integrity of the
system."
The last time a similar review was conducted was
almost 10 years ago, in March 1990, when then Chief Justice Ellen A. Peters appointed the
Judicial Council on Legal Ethics.
Joining Justice Berdon on the Commission are
judges, attorneys and members of the public, including: the Honorable Richard E. Arnold;
the Honorable Juliett L. Crawford; the Honorable Joseph P. Flynn; the Honorable William J.
Lavery; the Honorable Sheridan L. Moore; the Honorable Lynda B. Munro; the Honorable
Christine S. Vertefeuille; Representatives Robert Farr, Michael P. Lawlor; Senator Thomas
F. Upson; Attorneys Paul V. Carty, Milagros Cruz, Raymond J. Devlin, Jr., Thomas Flaherty,
Roger J. Frechette, William F. Gallagher, Richard Newman, A. Searle Pinney; Carmen
Donnarumma and Frank Morgan.
The Superior Court is located at 70 Huntington
Street in New London. The hearing will be held in Courtroom 1. The Commission anticipates
holding additional public hearings in Bridgeport and Waterbury.
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