Connecticut Guardianship Laws: Minors, Conservators, Alternatives

In Connecticut, the Probate Court handles guardianship of children and the adult version of the same protection, which Connecticut calls conservatorship. For an adult, the court appoints a "conservator of the person" (personal care), a "conservator of the estate" (money and property), or both, and only after finding by clear and convincing evidence that the adult is incapable, that the adult's affairs or care cannot be managed adequately without one, and that a conservator is the least restrictive means of intervention available (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-650(f)).

The vocabulary is the first thing to get right. In Connecticut a "guardian" is, with one exception, a role for a minor: parents are the joint guardians of their child's person, and the Probate Court can appoint a guardian of a minor's person or estate (§§ 45a-606, 45a-616). An incapable adult gets a conservator, and the adult is called the "conserved person" (§ 45a-644). The exception is an adult with intellectual disability, for whom the court may appoint a plenary or limited guardian under a separate set of sections (§§ 45a-669 to 45a-684). All of it sits in chapter 802h of the General Statutes. For how other states handle these questions, see our guardianship laws by state overview.

Information last verified on October 20, 2026. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Connecticut state law on guardianship of minors, conservatorship of adults, guardianship of adults with intellectual disability and the statutory alternatives, all in chapter 802h of the Connecticut General Statutes. It does not cover custody disputes between parents (see Connecticut child custody laws), grandparent visitation (see Connecticut grandparents' rights), adoption, emancipation, what happens to a person's estate after death (see Connecticut probate), child-protection and foster-care cases brought by the Department of Children and Families, which are a separate track, or civil commitment.

Connecticut guardianship terms and where the law lives

Chapter 802h of the Connecticut General Statutes ("Protected Persons and Their Property") holds the whole subject. Its main parts are guardianship of minors (§§ 45a-603 to 45a-625), conservatorship of adults (§§ 45a-644 to 45a-663), guardianship of adults with intellectual disability (§§ 45a-669 to 45a-684) and the Connecticut Uniform Adult Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act for moves between states (§§ 45a-667 to 45a-667v).

The conservatorship sections turn on two statutory tests of incapability:

"'Incapable of caring for one's self' or 'incapable of caring for himself or herself' means that a person has a mental, emotional or physical condition that results in such person being unable to receive and evaluate information or make or communicate decisions to such an extent that the person is unable, even with appropriate assistance, to meet essential requirements for personal needs."

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-644(c)

"Incapable of managing his or her affairs" uses the same test for "the functions inherent in managing his or her affairs," and adds a second element: the person "has property that will be wasted or dissipated unless adequate property management is provided," or funds are needed for the support, care or welfare of the person or those entitled to be supported by the person and the person is unable to take the necessary steps to obtain or provide them (§ 45a-644(d)). Both definitions ask whether the person can meet the need "even with appropriate assistance."

The other defined term that runs through the chapter is the "least restrictive means of intervention": intervention "sufficient to provide, within the resources available to the conserved person ... for a conserved person's personal needs or property management while affording the conserved person the greatest amount of independence and self-determination" (§ 45a-644(k)).

How to get guardianship of a child in Connecticut

The starting point is that a child already has guardians: "The father and mother of every minor child are joint guardians of the person of the minor," with equal powers, and if one parent dies or is removed, the other becomes sole guardian (§ 45a-606). Guardianship of a minor includes the obligation of care and control, the authority to make major decisions affecting the minor's education and welfare (including consent to marriage, enlistment in the armed forces and major medical, psychiatric or surgical treatment), and, on the minor's death, decisions about funeral arrangements (§ 45a-604(5)).

When a child has no parent or guardian. If a minor has no parent or guardian of his or her person, three groups may petition the Probate Court to appoint a guardian or coguardians: any adult relative of the minor, by blood or marriage; a person with actual physical custody of the minor when the petition is filed; or counsel for the minor (§ 45a-616(a)).

When a parent wants a coguardian. A parent who is the sole guardian can ask the court to appoint a coguardian. The court may order that the appointment take effect immediately or, at the parent's request, when a specified contingency occurs, "including, but not limited to, the mental incapacity, physical debilitation or death of that parent or guardian" (§ 45a-616(b)). A coguardian's rights and obligations are shared with the parent, either may exercise them independently, and a dispute between a coguardian and a parent may be submitted to the Probate Court that made the appointment (§ 45a-616(d)).

What the court weighs. In choosing a guardian, the court considers factors that include the minor's wishes, "if he or she is over the age of twelve or is of sufficient maturity and capable of forming an intelligent preference," and the best interests of the child (§ 45a-617(a)). The statute adds a presumption that favors family: "There shall be a rebuttable presumption that appointment of a grandparent or other relative related by blood or marriage as a guardian, coguardian or permanent guardian is in the best interests of the minor child" (§ 45a-617(a)).

Guardianship over a parent's objection

Section 45a-616(a) lets relatives petition when a child has no parent or guardian of the person. When a living parent is still the guardian and does not agree, the question is removal: the Probate Court may remove a parent only if it finds that notice was given (or waived) and finds by clear and convincing evidence one of these grounds (§ 45a-610):

1. the parent consents to removal;
2. the child has been abandoned, meaning the parent "has failed to maintain a reasonable degree of interest, concern or responsibility for the minor child's welfare";
3. the child has been denied the care, guidance or control necessary for his or her physical, educational, moral or emotional well-being, as the section describes;
4. the child has had physical injury inflicted, as the section describes; or
5. the child has been found to be neglected or uncared for, as defined in § 46b-120.

A petition to remove a parent may be filed by any adult relative of the child, by blood or marriage; a person with actual physical custody of the child when the petition is filed; or counsel for the child (§ 45a-614(a)). The court sets the hearing within 30 days of the application, unless it requests an investigation under § 45a-619, in which case the hearing is set not more than 30 days after it receives the results (§ 45a-609(a)). Notice of the removal hearing must go out at least ten days before the hearing to the Commissioner of Children and Families by first-class mail, and to both parents and to the minor if over twelve (§ 45a-609(b)). If a removal leaves the child with no guardian of the person, a guardian may then be appointed under § 45a-616 (§ 45a-610).

Temporary custody while the case is pending. While an application to remove a parent or other guardian is pending, the Probate Court may award temporary custody of the child to a person other than the parent or guardian, with or without the parent's consent, but only as § 45a-607 allows. "There shall be a rebuttable presumption that the awarding of temporary custody to a relative is in the best interests of such child or youth" (§ 45a-607(a)(1)). Immediate temporary custody without notice is limited to the circumstances in § 45a-607(b), such as a substantial likelihood that the child will be removed from the jurisdiction before a hearing, or that returning the child would place the child in circumstances resulting in serious physical illness or injury, or the threat of it, or imminent physical danger. If an ex parte order issues, the hearing must be held not later than five business days after it (§ 45a-607).

Lawyers in a child's case. The court may appoint counsel for the minor. When the applicant alleges abuse or neglect, or the court reasonably suspects it, the minor must be represented by court-appointed counsel. The court must appoint counsel for any respondent, such as a parent, who notifies the court that he or she cannot obtain or pay for counsel (§ 45a-620).

Where a removal case results in an order appointing the Commissioner of Children and Families as the child's guardian, the court must make a further determination about the Department's involvement (§ 45a-610). Child-protection cases brought by the Department are a separate track from a family member's probate petition.

Reports, property and ending the arrangement

A person appointed guardian of a minor's person must report to the appointing Probate Court at least annually on the child's condition (§ 45a-625). A parent, guardian of the person or spouse of a minor may not receive or use property belonging to the minor worth more than $10,000 unless appointed guardian of the minor's estate, except as a custodian under §§ 45a-557 to 45a-560b (§ 45a-631(a)).

A "minor" in these sections is a person under 18 (§ 45a-604(4)). For appointment of a guardian of the person under § 45a-616, the term also covers an unmarried person under 21 who is dependent on a competent caregiver, has consented to the appointment or continuation of a guardian after turning 18, and files or has filed on his or her behalf a petition for findings under § 45a-608n (§ 45a-616(f)). A parent removed as guardian may apply for reinstatement, and the court may reinstate the parent if it determines that the factors that led to removal have been resolved satisfactorily and that reinstatement is in the child's best interests (§ 45a-611(b)). A removed parent may not petition for reinstatement once the court has established a permanent guardianship under § 45a-616a (§ 45a-611(d)), and a parent may not petition to remove a permanent guardian appointed under § 45a-616a (§ 45a-614(b)).

Can a parent name a guardian in a will in Connecticut?

Yes. A parent of an unmarried minor, other than a parent who has been removed as guardian, "may by will or other writing signed by the parent and attested by at least two witnesses" appoint a guardian or coguardians of the minor's person, of the minor's estate, or both, "to serve if the parents who are guardians of the minor are dead" (§ 45a-596(a)).

The appointment does not take effect on its own. It "becomes effective when the guardian's written acceptance is filed" in the court where the will is probated or, for a nontestamentary writing, in the court for the probate district where the minor lives (§ 45a-596(c)). A child over twelve under such a guardian may apply to the Probate Court where the child lives to substitute a different guardian or coguardians (§ 45a-596(b)).

Letting someone care for your child without a court order

The minor-guardianship sections of chapter 802h (§§ 45a-603 to 45a-625) contain no general power of attorney that lets a parent hand parental authority to a relative for a set period, and no caregiver affidavit. They offer two other tools, one without a court and one with a short court proceeding. Separately, a child living with relatives or nonrelatives, where the residence is intended to be permanent, is provided without pay and is not for the sole purpose of obtaining school accommodations, is entitled to free school privileges in the district where the child lives; the board of education may require documentation, which may include affidavits (§ 10-253(d)). This page does not cover medical-consent rules found in other titles of the General Statutes.

Standby guardian (no court needed to designate). A parent or guardian may designate a standby guardian of a minor. The designation "shall be in writing and signed and dated by the principal with at least two witnesses," and it takes effect "upon the occurrence of a specified contingency, including, but not limited to, the mental incapacity, physical debilitation or death of the principal," but only once a written statement signed under penalty of false statement has been executed under § 45a-624c that the contingency has occurred (§ 45a-624). Limits to know:

• If both parents are alive, both must consent to the designation, unless either has been removed as guardian or had parental rights terminated (§ 45a-624a).
• The designation is effective for one year. The standby guardian's authority ends when the contingency no longer exists or when that one-year period expires, "whichever is sooner" (§ 45a-624d).
• If the parent dies while the designation is in effect, it lasts 90 days after the death. The standby guardian's authority then ends unless the standby guardian files an application for guardianship in the probate district where the child lives and is granted temporary custody, or the court appoints the standby guardian as guardian of the child's person (§ 45a-624e).
• The parent may revoke the designation at any time by a written revocation and notice of it to the standby guardian (§ 45a-624f). A dispute about a designation goes to the Probate Court for the district where the child resides (§ 45a-624g).

Temporary guardian (short court proceeding). A parent or guardian may apply to the Probate Court for the district where the child resides, is domiciled or is located for a temporary guardian of the person "to serve for no longer than one year if the appointing parent or guardian is unable to care for the minor for any reason including, but not limited to, illness and absence from the jurisdiction." The temporary guardian stops serving when the parent notifies the court and the temporary guardian (§ 45a-622(a)).

How to become conservator of an adult in Connecticut

Connecticut calls the process "involuntary representation." Any person may file an application alleging that a respondent is incapable of managing his or her affairs or incapable of caring for himself or herself and stating the reasons (§ 45a-648(a)). A parent or guardian who expects a child to need a conservator at 18 may apply up to 45 days before the child's 18th birthday; the hearing on that application must be held not more than 30 days before the birthday (§ 45a-648(c)). A fraudulent or malicious application, or false testimony, is a class D felony (§ 45a-648).

Notice and personal service. The court issues a citation that must be served on the parties not less than ten days before the hearing, and notice of the hearing goes to all other parties not less than ten days before the hearing (§ 45a-649(a), as amended by Public Act 26-87, § 5, effective October 1, 2026). The notice to the respondent explains the possible consequences of a conservator and the right to a lawyer. Unless continued by the court for cause shown, the hearing must be held not more than 30 days after the Probate Court receives the application, except for an application filed before a child's 18th birthday (§ 45a-649(a)(1)). Personal service is essential: if the notice is not personally served as the statute requires, "the court shall be deprived of jurisdiction over the application" (§ 45a-649(a)(5)).

The right to a lawyer. The respondent may retain an attorney of choice at his or her own expense. "If the respondent is unable to request or obtain an attorney for any reason, the court shall appoint an attorney to represent the respondent in any proceeding under this title involving the respondent," and if the respondent cannot pay, the attorney's reasonable compensation is paid from funds appropriated to the Judicial Department (§ 45a-649(d)). If the court finds the respondent "indigent or otherwise unable to pay for an attorney," it must appoint one from a panel the Probate Court Administrator provides, "unless the respondent or conserved person refuses to be represented by an attorney and the court finds that the respondent or conserved person understands the nature of the refusal." The appointed attorney must consult with the conserved person about an appeal to the Superior Court (§ 45a-649a(b), (c)).

The hearing. Before receiving any evidence about the respondent's condition, the court must find by clear and convincing evidence that it has jurisdiction, that notice was given, and that the respondent was advised of the right to an attorney and either has one or waived the right. The respondent has the right to attend any hearing (§ 45a-650(a)). Medical evidence must come from one or more physicians licensed in Connecticut who examined the respondent not more than 45 days before the hearing; the court may waive that requirement only if the evidence is impossible to obtain because the respondent is absent or refuses to be examined, or if the alleged incapacity is not medical in nature (§ 45a-650(c)). For a respondent with intellectual disability, psychological evidence from a Connecticut-licensed psychologist who examined the respondent not more than 45 days before the hearing may be introduced instead of medical evidence (§ 45a-650(c)(1)).

The findings. For a conservator of the estate, the court must find by clear and convincing evidence that the respondent "is incapable of managing the respondent's affairs, that the respondent's affairs cannot be managed adequately without the appointment of a conservator and that the appointment of a conservator is the least restrictive means of intervention available to assist the respondent in managing the respondent's affairs" (§ 45a-650(f)(1)). Section 45a-650(f) sets the parallel findings for a conservator of the person. In deciding, the court weighs a list of factors that includes "any supportive services, technologies or other means that are available to assist the respondent in meeting his or her needs" (§ 45a-650(g)).

When a conservator may not be appointed. "No conservator may be appointed if the respondent's personal needs and property management are being met adequately by an agency or individual appointed pursuant to the provisions of sections 1-350g and 1-352, or section 19a-575a, 19a-577, 19a-580e or 19a-580g" (§ 45a-650(f)(3)). Those are the power-of-attorney and health-care representative sections, so an appointment a person made in advance under them can rule out a conservatorship when it is meeting the person's needs adequately.

Limited authority. The court "shall assign to a conservator appointed under this section only the duties and authority that are the least restrictive means of intervention necessary to meet the needs of the conserved person," and must find by clear and convincing evidence that those duties restrict the person's decision-making "only to the extent necessary" (§ 45a-650(m)).

Who serves. The respondent may designate or nominate a conservator in advance under the listed sections, or "orally or in writing," and that person "shall be appointed unless the court finds that the appointee, designee or nominee is unwilling or unable to serve or there is substantial evidence to disqualify such person" (§ 45a-650(h)). Section 45a-650 contains no priority list of relatives and no provision for a jury.

Voluntary representation. An adult may also ask for a conservator without any finding of incapability. After seeing the person and hearing the reasons, and explaining that the person or property will be subject to the conservator's authority, the court may grant voluntary representation and "shall not make a finding that the petitioner is incapable" (§ 45a-646). A person under voluntary representation is released on 30 days' written notice to the court (§ 45a-647).

What a conservator of the person decides, and what the adult keeps

A conservator of the person has only the duties and authority the court assigns (§ 45a-650(m)). The statute also tells the conservator how to use them: decisions must conform to the conserved person's "reasonable and informed expressed preferences," and the conservator "shall afford the conserved person the opportunity to participate meaningfully in decision-making in accordance with the conserved person's abilities and shall delegate to the conserved person reasonable responsibility for decisions affecting such conserved person's well-being" (§ 45a-656(b)).

What the adult keeps: except where the court has limited, suspended or terminated a power-of-attorney agent's authority by specific order, "a conserved person and his agent under a power of attorney shall retain all rights and authority not expressly assigned to the conservator" (§ 45a-650(k), (l)). Absent a court order to the contrary, and except as § 19a-580e(b) provides, a conservator is bound by all health care decisions properly made by the conserved person's health care representative (§ 45a-650(j)). Nothing in the chapter limits the conserved person's right to retain an attorney or to seek redress of grievances in any court or administrative agency, including habeas proceedings arising out of limits a court imposes under the chapter (§ 45a-650(n)).

Limits that need the court:

• Commitment. A conservator of the person cannot have the person committed to an institution for the treatment of mental illness except under the separate commitment statutes (§ 45a-656(d)).
• Home and belongings. Except as § 45a-656b provides, a conservator may not end the person's tenancy or lease, sell or dispose of the person's real property or household furnishings, or change the person's residence unless the Probate Court finds after a hearing that the step is necessary, or the person agrees (§ 45a-656b(a)(2)).
• Long-term care placement. To place the person in a long-term care institution or change the person's residence, the conservator must file a report of the intended placement, the court must hold a hearing, and the conservator may act only with the court's permission (§ 45a-656b(b)). If the placement results from a hospital discharge, the conservator may place the person before filing the report, provided the report is filed not later than five days after the placement, and the placement cannot continue unless the court orders it after a hearing (§ 45a-656b(b)). The person may request a hearing on the placement at any time (§ 45a-656b(d)), and if the court finds the person's needs can be met in a less restrictive and more integrated setting within the resources available, it must order that setting (§ 45a-656b(f)).
• Sterilization of a conserved or protected person has its own court process (§§ 45a-690 to 45a-699a).

Annual report. The conservator must report to the court at least annually on the person's condition, the efforts made to encourage the person's independence, and whether the conservatorship is still the least restrictive means of intervention (§ 45a-656(c)).

Family visits. A parent of an adult with intellectual disability or a mental disability who has a conservator of the person or a guardian may ask the Probate Court for an order of visitation, which the court may grant after notice and hearing (§ 45a-598).

Conservator of the estate: bond, inventory and accounts

When the court appoints a conservator of the estate, "the court shall require a probate bond." It may also require a bond of a conservator of the person if it considers one necessary to protect the respondent (§ 45a-650(i)).

Within two months after appointment, a conservator of the estate must file an inventory of the estate, under penalty of false statement (§ 45a-655(a)). The court may require annual accountings, and must require them at the request of any interested party (§ 45a-655(c)). Changes to real property, household furnishings and the person's residence run through § 45a-656b, described above.

Temporary conservator in an emergency

The court may appoint a temporary conservator if it finds by clear and convincing evidence that (§ 45a-654(a)):

1. the respondent is incapable of managing his or her affairs or incapable of caring for himself or herself;
2. "immediate and irreparable harm to the mental or physical health or financial or legal affairs of the respondent will result if a temporary conservator is not appointed"; and
3. a temporary conservator is "the least restrictive means of intervention available to prevent such harm."

Section 45a-654 sets further requirements. A temporary appointment is not valid for more than 30 days unless a petition for a conservator under § 45a-650 is filed while it is in effect; the court may then extend it until that petition is decided or for an additional 30 days, whichever occurs first, and "No appointment of a temporary conservator under this section may be in effect for more than sixty days from the date of the initial appointment" (§ 45a-654(a)). The court must require the temporary conservator to give a probate bond and must limit the temporary conservator's duties and authority to the circumstances that gave rise to the application (§ 45a-654(a)).

Unless the court waives medical evidence under § 45a-654(e), the petition must include a report from a Connecticut-licensed physician who examined the respondent not more than three days before the date of presentation to the judge (§ 45a-654(b)). On receiving the petition, the court must issue notice to the respondent and appoint counsel for the respondent. Notice, served in hand, is given not less than five days before a hearing held not later than seven days after the petition is filed, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. If the court appoints a temporary conservator ex parte, notice is due not more than 48 hours after the appointment and the hearing is held not later than three days after it, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays (§ 45a-654(c)). An ex parte order expires not later than three days after it was issued unless a hearing on it that began before then has been continued for good cause (§ 45a-654(d)).

Guardianship of an adult with intellectual disability

For an adult with intellectual disability, Connecticut uses a separate guardianship track rather than conservatorship (§§ 45a-669 to 45a-684). Key rules:

• Counsel. "Unless the respondent is represented by counsel, the court shall immediately appoint counsel for the respondent" (§ 45a-673).
• Plenary guardian. The court appoints a plenary guardian if it finds by clear and convincing evidence that the respondent, "by reason of the severity of the respondent's intellectual disability," is "totally unable to meet essential requirements for the respondent's physical health or safety and totally unable to make informed decisions about matters related to the respondent's care" (§ 45a-676(a)). A limited guardian is the other option under these sections.
• Recent behavior. Any alleged inability "must be evidenced by recent behavior that would cause harm or create a risk of harm, by clear and convincing proof" (§ 45a-676(c)).
• Reports and review. The guardian reports to the court at least annually on the protected person's condition (§ 45a-677(c)), and the court must review each guardianship at least every three years and continue, modify or terminate it (§ 45a-681(a)).

How a Connecticut conservatorship ends

"A conserved person may, at any time, petition the Probate Court having jurisdiction for the termination of a conservatorship" (§ 45a-660(a)(1)). The rules on that petition favor the person:

• It is decided "by a preponderance of the evidence."
• "The conserved person shall not be required to present medical evidence at such a hearing."
• The hearing must be held within 30 days after the petition is filed, unless continued for good cause, and "If such hearing is not held within such thirty-day period or continuance period, if applicable, the conservatorship shall terminate" (§ 45a-660(a)(1)).

The court must send written notice every year to the conserved person and the person's attorney about the right to a hearing under § 45a-660 (§ 45a-660(b)(2)).

The court must also review each conservatorship not later than one year after it was ordered and not less than every three years after that initial review, and after each review continue, modify or terminate the order; the conservator and a Connecticut-licensed physician each submit a written report (§ 45a-660(c)). "If the court does not make such a finding of continued incapacity by clear and convincing evidence, the court shall terminate the conservatorship" (§ 45a-660(d)). A person under voluntary representation is released on 30 days' written notice (§ 45a-647).

Alternatives to conservatorship in Connecticut

The least-restrictive requirement is built into the appointment test itself, so the alternatives matter twice: they may meet the person's needs, and § 45a-650(f)(3) bars a conservator when certain advance appointments are already meeting them.

Powers of attorney and health-care instruments. A power of attorney or health-care representative appointment is signed while the person still has capacity. Signing rules are covered on our Connecticut power of attorney laws page. Free drafting tools are available for a Connecticut power of attorney and a Connecticut advance directive; a tool is not legal advice, and any document must be signed under the Connecticut rules on the power of attorney page. A person may also designate a future conservator in advance (§ 45a-650(h)).

Supported decision-making. Chapter 802h contains no supported decision-making agreement statute. The term's statutory definition appears in an education-law section that requires the State Department of Education to provide a plain-language resource on "alternatives to guardianship and conservatorship, including supported decision-making, powers of attorney, advance directives, and other decision-making alternatives." There, supported decision-making means "a tool that is utilized by a person with a disability to retain decision-making authority through assistance from one or more persons of the individual's choosing in understanding the nature and consequences of potential personal and financial decisions and in communicating such decisions" (§ 10-74s). A 2026 law, Special Act 26-12, approved June 2, 2026, created a legislative working group to study supported decision-making, including how a supported decision-making agreement can be used as an alternative to a conservatorship or guardianship; its report is due by December 31, 2026. The special act sets up that study and does not add an agreement procedure to chapter 802h. The conservatorship court must also weigh available supportive services and technologies (§ 45a-650(g)).

Voluntary representation (above) lets a capable adult choose court-supervised help without a finding of incapability, and leave it on 30 days' notice (§§ 45a-646, 45a-647).

Federal benefits. The Social Security Administration decides for itself whether representative payment is in a beneficiary's interest and appoints its own payee; a legal guardian is one person it may choose, not an automatic payee (20 C.F.R. § 404.2001). The guardianship hub covers the federal layer.

Moving to or from Connecticut with a conservatorship

Connecticut's version of the uniform interstate act is called the Connecticut Uniform Adult Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act (§ 45a-667). It provides for transferring a conservatorship to or from another state (§§ 45a-667p, 45a-667q) and for registering out-of-state orders. A conservator of the person appointed in another state may register that order in Connecticut, if no petition for a Connecticut conservator of the person is pending, by giving notice to the appointing court of the intent to register and then filing certified copies of the order and letters of office as a foreign judgment in the Probate Court where the conserved person resides, is domiciled or is located (§ 45a-667r(a)). Each Probate Court keeps a public registry of the person-conservator orders registered there (§ 45a-667r(b)). Section 45a-667s covers registering an out-of-state estate order.

Recent change: Public Act 26-87

Public Act 26-87, approved June 4, 2026, amended § 45a-649(a) effective October 1, 2026. The citation in an involuntary conservatorship case now goes to the parties specified in subdivision (2) of that subsection and must be served "not less than ten days before the hearing date," and notice to all other parties must be sent not less than ten days before the hearing. The rule that a missed personal service deprives the court of jurisdiction remains (P.A. 26-87, § 5).

The same act, effective October 1, 2026, provides that an appeal from a conservatorship matter under §§ 45a-644 to 45a-677 must be filed not later than 45 days after the Probate Court sent the order, and that an appeal in a matter concerning removal of a parent as guardian, appointment of a guardian of the person of a minor or temporary guardianship is filed in a superior court for juvenile matters (§ 45a-186, as amended by P.A. 26-87, § 4). Effective from passage, records of cases on removal of a parent as guardian, appointment of a guardian of the person of a minor and temporary guardianship are confidential, with the exceptions § 45a-754(a) lists (P.A. 26-87, § 3).

Official forms and help

Connecticut's Probate Courts hear every guardianship and conservatorship matter. The Connecticut Probate Court system website is the place to look for official forms and court locations.

Connecticut guardianship at a glance

Related Connecticut pages

• Guardianship laws by state
• Connecticut power of attorney laws
• Connecticut child custody laws
• Connecticut grandparents' rights
• Connecticut probate

This article provides general legal information about Connecticut guardianship and conservatorship law, not legal advice. These cases turn on their facts and on Probate Court practice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Connecticut or the Probate Court that would hear the case.

Last updated: October 20, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it guardianship or conservatorship for an adult in Connecticut?

For an incapable adult, Connecticut Probate Courts appoint a conservator of the person, a conservator of the estate, or both (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-650). Guardianship is used for minors and for adults with intellectual disability under §§ 45a-669 to 45a-684.

How do I get guardianship of my grandchild in Connecticut?

If the child has no parent or guardian, an adult relative, the person with actual physical custody, or the child's counsel may petition the Probate Court (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-616(a)), and a grandparent or other relative is presumed, subject to rebuttal, to be in the child's best interests (§ 45a-617(a)). A parent who is still the child's guardian may be removed without consent only on clear and convincing evidence of one of the other grounds in § 45a-610.

What must be proved to appoint a conservator in Connecticut?

The court must find by clear and convincing evidence that the adult is incapable of managing his or her affairs or caring for himself or herself, that this cannot be handled adequately without a conservator, and that a conservator is the least restrictive means of intervention available (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-650(f)).

Does the adult get a lawyer in a Connecticut conservatorship case?

The adult may hire one. If the adult is unable to request or obtain an attorney for any reason, the court must appoint one (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-649(d)), and if the court finds the adult indigent or otherwise unable to pay, it must appoint one unless the adult refuses and the court finds the adult understands the refusal (§ 45a-649a(b)). On a petition for a temporary conservator, the court must appoint counsel for the adult (§ 45a-654(c)).

How long does a temporary conservatorship last in Connecticut?

A temporary appointment is not valid for more than 30 days unless a petition for a permanent conservator is filed while it is in effect; the court may then extend it, but no appointment of a temporary conservator may be in effect for more than 60 days from the initial appointment. The court must first find by clear and convincing evidence that immediate and irreparable harm will result without one, among the other findings § 45a-654(a) requires.

Can I let a relative care for my child in Connecticut without going to court?

A parent may designate a standby guardian in a writing signed and dated with at least two witnesses, but it takes effect only on a stated contingency such as the parent's incapacity or death, needs both parents' consent if both are alive (unless one has been removed or had rights terminated), and is effective for one year, with a separate 90-day rule after the parent's death (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 45a-624, 45a-624a, 45a-624d, 45a-624e). A parent who is unable to care for a child for any reason may instead ask the Probate Court to appoint a temporary guardian for no longer than one year (§ 45a-622).

How do you end a conservatorship in Connecticut?

The conserved person may petition at any time; the petition is decided by a preponderance of the evidence, the person need not present medical evidence, and if the hearing is not held within 30 days (or a continuance for good cause), the conservatorship terminates (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 45a-660(a)(1)).

Does Connecticut have a supported decision-making law?

Chapter 802h, which governs conservatorship and guardianship, contains no supported decision-making agreement statute. Supported decision-making is defined in § 10-74s, which directs the State Department of Education to publish a resource on alternatives to guardianship and conservatorship. Special Act 26-12 (2026) created a working group to study supported decision-making agreements, including as an alternative to conservatorship or guardianship, with a report due by December 31, 2026.