Connecticut Probate Glossary

Probate law uses terminology that can be unfamiliar, and some terms carry specific legal meanings in Connecticut that differ from how other states use them. For example, Connecticut uses “conservator” where many states use “guardian” for adults, and the state’s probate courts handle matters that county courts or surrogate’s courts handle elsewhere.

This glossary covers terms you are likely to encounter when dealing with Connecticut probate courts, estate administration, trusts, conservatorship, and guardianship. Definitions reflect Connecticut law and practice. Where a term has a different meaning in common usage or in other jurisdictions, that distinction is noted.