www.WashingtonCT.org The Town of Washington, Connecticut Probate Court

Office: Main level of Bryan Memorial Town Hall Hours: M,W,F: 9:00 AM - Noon, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM, or any time by appointment Telephone: (860) 868-7974 Fax: (860) 868-0512 Email: vmcherniske@aol.com U.S. Mail Address: Probate Court District of Washington P.O. Box 295 Washington Depot, CT 06794 Street Address: Probate Court District of Washington 2 Bryan Plaza Washington Depot, CT 06794 Elected Official: (4-year term) • Honorable Victoria M. Cherniske, Judge of Probate Staff: • Pamela L. Osborne, Clerk of the Court

Connecticut is divided into just under 117 probate districts, each of which is presided over by a Judge of Probate who is elected to office for a four-year term. The Washington Probate Court was established in 1832 and all probate records are stored here following that date. (Previous records may be available in Probate Courts located in Woodbury, Southbury, Litchfield or New Milford.)

The Probate Court jurisdiction is varied; probating wills and the administration of estates, overseeing testamentary and living wills, determining title to real and personal property, construing the meaning of wills and trusts, appointing guardians for the mentally retarded, appointing conservators of the person and the estate of incapable individuals, committing those suffering from mental illness, alcoholism, or drug addiction to an appropriate facility, removing unfit parents as guardians of their children, terminating the parental rights of parents who cannot fulfill their parental responsibilities, granting adoptions, change of name, marriage of minors, probate bond actions, motions forr appeal and some courts execute passport applications. There are both confidential and public matters recorded and stored in Probate Volumes. Public records are available to view or by copy for a nominal fee.

• Fee waivers
• Decedent's estates
• Trust matters
• Children's matters
• Conservators
• Adoptions & terminations
• Proceedings re: mentally retarded persons

Services Provided:

• Probate of wills
• Administration of estates
• Testamentary trusts or inter vivos trusts
• Guardianship of minors
• Conservatorships (voluntary or involuntary)
• Construe wills
• Adoptions
• Termination of parental rights
• Commitments (adult & children)
• Change of name
• Custody of remains of deceased
• Guardianship of the mentally retarded
• Sterilization of persons unable to give consent
• Paternity claims
• Marriage issues
  • request for minor permission
  • request for waiver
• Try title
• Limited release of tax liens
• Emancipation of minor

The Washington Probate Judge and Clerk are also passport agents (by appointment only).