Governor Rell Announces Commission

To Examine Judicial Branch Openness

Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced her appointments to the Governor’s Commission on Judicial Reform, which will examine ways to make the Judicial Branch of state government more open and accessible to the public and the news media.

“When I created this commission, I said that transparency, accessibility, accountability are three basic concepts that the public has come to expect, and indeed, should demand, of the various branches of government that shape our society,” Governor Rell said.  “Each member should bring thoughtful insights to the commission’s important deliberations.”

The Governor’s Commission on Judicial Reform will be chaired by respected Hartford lawyer Thomas Groark and will make recommendations on “allowing the bright light of reform to shine in the Judicial Branch.”  For the 12th consecutive year, Groark was chosen for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for 2006.  He is also listed in the 2006 edition of Connecticut Super Lawyers.

Other commission members are:

Stuart Bear – Bear, of West Hartford, has served on the Superior Court bench since 2003.  Prior to that, he was a partner in the Bridgeport law firm of Zeldes, Needle & Cooper.

Martin Burke – Burke, of Vernon, is an attorney who specializes in Elder Law, Estate Planning, Probate, Medicaid Planning, Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney and Living Wills and Real Estate.

William Dunn – Dunn, of Southington, is a former member of state’s Judicial Review Council.  A Certified Public Accountant, Dunn is a partner at KPMG Peat Marwick. 

William Fish – Fish, of Marlborough, is an attorney whose practice includes complex commercial litigation, bankruptcy and the First Amendment.  Currently serving as Town Counsel for Marlborough, he has been a partner at Tyler Cooper since 1990.

Timothy Fisher – Fisher, of West Hartford, is a partner at the McCarter & English law firm.  Fisher, who specializes in Construction Law, was ranked one of the Top Ten Lawyers in the State of Connecticut by Connecticut Magazine, 2006, and is listed in the 2005-6 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. 

Patricia Harleston – Harleston, of Hartford, has served on the Superior Court bench since 1997. From 1979 to 1996, she was an Assistant Attorney General, working in the state Department of Children and Families and later in the Department of Mental Retardation.

Justine Rakish Kelly – Rakish Kelly, of Bristol, is an attorney and Executive Director of Children Law Center (CLC) of Connecticut.  She has considerable experience in the practice of family law in Superior and Juvenile Courts.  Under her leadership, CLC has expanded services to the New Britain courts, and has also recruited trained mediators for our Families in Transition program.

Christine Keller –Keller, of Hartford, was appointed to the Superior Court in 1993.  She was named Chief Administrative Judge for Juvenile Matters in 1997 and, in 2005, was named Administrative Judge for the Judicial District of Hartford.  

Santa Mendoza – Mendoza, of West Hartford, is an attorney whose concentration is in the areas of Taxation, Business and Commercial Transactions and Real Estate.

Paul Murray – Murray serves as Deputy Chief State’s Attorney for Operations.  He has served the Division of Criminal Justice for nearly three decades.

Mitch Pearlman – Pearlman, an attorney, served for three decades as executive director of the Freedom of Information Commission.  Pearlman has also served as interim executive director of the Office of State Ethics.

David Ryan – Ryan, of Hartford, is an attorney with more than 30 years of litigation experience. He has represented a variety of clients from individuals to municipalities, businesses, and educational institutions in trials in state and federal courts and in administrative proceedings.

Andrea Stillman – Stillman serves as State Senator of the 20th Senatorial District (East Lyme, Montville, New London, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Salem and Waterford).  Prior to her Senate election, Stillman served six terms in the House of Representatives.

Vincent Valvo – Valvo, of West Hartford, is editor of the Hartford Business Journal.  Prior to that, Valvo was editor and publisher of the Connecticut Law Tribune.

Kirk Varner – Varner, of Avon, is Vice President and Director of News at WTNH – TV (Channel 8) in New Haven.

Robert Ward – Ward, of Northford, is currently serving in his fifth term as the legislature’s House Minority Leader.  An attorney, Ward is considered an expert on the legislative process.

The commission’s review will include standards of access to paper and electronic records, documents and databases. Consideration will also be given to changes in court rules, practices and procedures that may require administrative and/or legislative approval and, if necessary, even a change in the Connecticut Constitution.

The commission is another example of Governor Rell’s commitment to openness and reform in state government; her efforts include reform of the state contracting process, ethics laws and campaign financing.

Its first meeting will be June 1 at the Capitol complex and its work is expected to be completed this fall.