Conservatorship in Connecticut

In Connecticut, a “conservatorship” is the court-supervised arrangement for protecting adults who cannot manage their own personal affairs or finances. This is a critical terminology distinction: Connecticut uses “conservatorship” for adults and “guardianship” for minors. If you are coming from New York or many other states, this is reversed from what you are accustomed to. New York’s Article 81 “guardianship” proceeding for incapacitated adults is the functional equivalent of a Connecticut conservatorship.

Connecticut’s conservatorship statutes are found in Chapter 802h, Part IV of the Connecticut General Statutes (CGS 45a-644 through 45a-663). The Probate Court has jurisdiction over these proceedings, and the court where the respondent resides, is domiciled, or is located at the time of filing handles the case. Interstate matters are governed by the Connecticut Uniform Adult Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act (CGS 45a-667 through 45a-667v).

The articles in this section cover the conservatorship process from start to finish: the types of conservatorship available, how to file a petition, the duties and responsibilities of a conservator, alternatives to conservatorship that may be less restrictive, and how a conservatorship ends. Each article cites specific sections of the Connecticut General Statutes so you can verify the law independently. This is general educational information, not legal advice for your situation.