Don't Die In Connecticut: Move to Florida
John H. Langbein, the Sterling Professor of Law and Legal History at Yale Law School, has just published a commentary that is highly critical of the Connecticut probate system entitled Don't Die In Connecticut: A will can't protect you from the state's predatory probate system, considered a national disgrace, Hartford Courant, Oct. 23, 2005.
According to Prof. Langbein's Testimony to Connecticut Legislature Committee on Program Review and Investigations, Hartford, CT. October 7, 2005 [click here], Florida has a "responsible probate system" that compares very favorably to Connecticut's system. In fact, the good professor had the following sage words of advice for the citizens of his fair state:
When citizens of our state ask me about Connecticut probate, I give this simple advice: Try not to die in Connecticut. If you are a person of means, you should--late in life--establish your domicile in some place such as Florida or Maine or Arizona that has a responsible probate system. You can still own a Connecticut home and spend plenty of time here. Indeed, if you place title to your Connecticut home in a Florida trust, your trustee can even transfer the house after your death without going through Connecticut probate.
