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Bridgeport Probate Court, CT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Bridgeport Probate Court, PD-48. The district serves Bridgeport only (C.G.S. section 45a-2). |
| Courthouse address | Margaret Morton Government Center, 999 Broad Street, 1st Floor, Bridgeport, CT 06604 |
| Mailing address | Mail goes to the courthouse address. The court does not publish a separate post office box. |
| Phone | (203) 576-3945 |
| Fax | (203) 576-7898 |
| The court does not publish an email address. Call or write to the clerk's office. | |
| Hours | Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call before making a trip. |
| Cost to open an estate | No filing fee is due when a decedent's estate is opened. The Probate Court invoices a statutory fee later, computed on the value of the estate under C.G.S. section 45a-107. |
| Court forms | Connecticut PC forms are statewide. The Bridgeport Probate Court uses the same forms as every other Connecticut Probate Court and does not publish forms of its own. |
| Electronic filing | The statewide TurboCourt system is governed by Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1. Attorneys who appear in a probate matter must register; registration is optional for everyone else. The original will must reach the court on paper under section 7.1a. |
| Case lookup | Connecticut's Case Lookup is free at ctprobate.gov/case-lookup. Filter to PD48, Bridgeport Probate Court. Coverage runs from January 5, 2011 to the present. |
| Participation by electronic means | Section 66.1 of the Probate Court Rules of Procedure lets the court allow participation by electronic means on request or on its own motion. It is the court's decision, and no platform is named. |
| Website | https://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/bridgeport-probate-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file anything in Bridgeport, build a clear list of what the person owned and what they owed. Connecticut does not charge money at the counter to open a decedent's estate, but the court later bills a probate fee computed under C.G.S. section 45a-107, and the Connecticut estate tax return that drives that calculation is due within six months of death.
The same asset picture decides whether estate settlement can use the small estates procedure under C.G.S. section 45a-273. The $40,000 personal-property figure has been in force since P.A. 07-32, survivorship property is treated differently, and any solely owned Connecticut real estate sends the matter to full administration. Sunset's 2,300-institution asset discovery helps families find accounts before choosing the Bridgeport filing path.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Connecticut probate is handled by a separate statewide system of 54 Probate Courts, one for each probate district, not by the Superior Court and not by any county. A Probate Court decision may be appealed to the Superior Court under C.G.S. section 45a-186. The Bridgeport Probate Court serves Bridgeport only (C.G.S. section 45a-2). Unlike many Connecticut probate districts, the courthouse is in the same town named by the court.
If the person was domiciled in Bridgeport at death and left a will, the application to probate the will is filed in the Probate Court for that district (C.G.S. section 45a-283). If the person died intestate, the court for the district where the person was domiciled has jurisdiction to grant letters of administration (C.G.S. section 45a-303). For a nonresident who owned Connecticut property, C.G.S. section 45a-287 lists alternative districts, and the court that first assumes jurisdiction keeps it.
Bridgeport is bordered by towns in other probate districts. Stratford belongs to the Stratford Probate Court, Fairfield belongs to the Fairfield Probate Court, and Trumbull, Easton and Monroe belong to the Trumbull Probate Court. Use the Connecticut Probate Court Locator at ctprobate.gov/court-locator before filing if there is any doubt about where the person was domiciled.
The jurisdiction process
- List the assets, debts and likely heirs or beneficiaries before filing. Connecticut's probate fee is billed later under C.G.S. section 45a-107, and the Connecticut estate tax return is due within six months of death even if no full estate is opened.
- Choose the statewide form set. A full estate starts with PC-200, Petition/Administration or Probate of Will, in the district where the person was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-283). A qualifying small estate uses PC-212 under C.G.S. section 45a-273 when the solely owned personal property is within the $40,000 figure set by P.A. 07-32 and there is no solely owned Connecticut real estate.
- File in Bridgeport only if the person was domiciled in Bridgeport at death. The Bridgeport Probate Court serves Bridgeport only (C.G.S. section 45a-2). If the person lived in Stratford, Fairfield, Trumbull, Easton or Monroe, use the Court Locator at ctprobate.gov/court-locator to find the correct Probate Court.
- Deliver the packet to the Bridgeport Probate Court at Margaret Morton Government Center, 999 Broad Street, 1st Floor, Bridgeport, CT 06604, or use the statewide TurboCourt eFiling system under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1. The original will, codicil or other testamentary document cannot be eFiled and must reach the court on paper under section 7.1a.
- Do not bring a counter payment for opening a decedent's estate. Connecticut does not charge a filing fee to open a decedent's estate. Under section 6.1 of the Probate Court Rules of Procedure, the statutory filing fee is due at filing in every kind of Probate Court matter except a decedent's estate and an accounting. Instead, the Bridgeport Probate Court bills the estate later. The fee is set by statute and is the same in all 54 Connecticut probate districts (C.G.S. section 45a-105). For a person who died on or after July 1, 2016, it is graduated on the greater of the inventory, the gross estate or the Connecticut taxable estate, running from $25 up to a cap of $40,000, with a minimum of $150 where a full estate is opened on a basis under $10,000, and with any portion passing to a surviving spouse counted at half (C.G.S. section 45a-107). The inventory filing itself is governed by C.G.S. section 45a-341. The fee is owed on everything the decedent owned, including assets that pass outside probate, and it is owed whether or not an estate is opened at all. Interest of 0.5 per cent per month runs on a probate fee that is unpaid thirty days after the court's invoice, and separately on the fee of an estate whose Connecticut estate tax return is filed late (C.G.S. section 45a-107). ctprobate.gov publishes a fee calculator at ctprobate.gov/fees-expenses-calculators.
- Send the petition and will as required to the people named on the petition and certify that you sent them. Within fourteen days after the first fiduciary is appointed, the court places the newspaper notice to creditors under C.G.S. section 45a-354.
- Watch for the court's hearing path. The court may set a hearing, may act without a formal hearing if everyone entitled to notice files written waivers, or may use the streamline notice procedure under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 8.6 so parties can request a hearing by a stated date.
- Ask about participation by electronic means only if a hearing, conference or deposition is actually set. Connecticut Probate Courts may allow a party, witness or attorney to take part in a hearing, conference or deposition by electronic means. Section 66.1 of the Probate Court Rules of Procedure lets the court permit it on request or on its own motion, weighing factors that include the nature of the proceeding, the technology available, and whether remote participation would still allow full examination of witnesses. It is a request the court decides, not a right, and the rule names no platform. Ask the clerk of the Bridgeport Probate Court what that court expects.
- After appointment, ask for certified copies of your authority. When the Probate Court appoints you, the court's clerk issues a certificate of your appointment as fiduciary. Under C.G.S. section 45a-200 that certificate is sufficient evidence of your authority and identity for one year from the date it is issued, so a bank or transfer agent may ask for a recently issued copy. Ask the clerk of the Bridgeport Probate Court for as many certified copies as you expect to need, and expect to request fresh ones if the estate stays open past a year.
- If the person owned Connecticut real estate, ask the Bridgeport Probate Court for PC-251, Notice for Land Records/Appointment of Fiduciary, and record it with the town clerk in each Connecticut town where the real estate sits. A separate inventory clock applies to PC-2407: file the decedent's-estate inventory within two months after qualification, extendable by the court for cause to not more than four months (C.G.S. section 45a-341).
- File the Connecticut estate tax return within six months of death. For 2026 deaths at or below the exemption, CT-706 NT is filed with the Probate Court, meaning the Bridgeport Probate Court for a Bridgeport resident, and the probate judge issues a written opinion of no tax.
- Administer and close the estate. Follow the claims procedure, including PC-237 Return of Claims and List of Notified Creditors within sixty days after the 150-day claims period ends (C.G.S. section 45a-361, C.G.S. section 45a-356). File PC-246 under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.19, or the fuller account when required. If the estate remains open after the first year, file PC-286 under section 30.21. Distribute on the court's order, and file PC-213 Affidavit of Closing within 30 days after distribution where the court directs it under section 36.12.
Forms and documents
Probate forms at the Bridgeport Probate Court
Connecticut probate forms are statewide. The Bridgeport Probate Court uses the same numbered PC forms as every other Connecticut Probate Court, published free by the Office of the Probate Court Administrator at ctprobate.gov. The court does not publish forms of its own, although it may require a document in paper form under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 7.1a.
| Form | Use in a Bridgeport estate |
|---|---|
| PC-200 and PC-200CI | Petition/Administration or Probate of Will, with confidential information. For a Connecticut resident, the petition is filed where the person was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-283). |
| PC-212, PC-212A and PC-212CI | Affidavit in Lieu of Probate of Will/Administration and related forms for the small estates procedure under C.G.S. section 45a-273. The $40,000 personal-property figure has been in force since P.A. 07-32. |
| PC-2407 | Inventory/Decedents' Estates. File the inventory within two months after qualification, with any extension limited by C.G.S. section 45a-341. |
| PC-237 | Return of Claims and List of Notified Creditors, filed within sixty days after the 150-day claims period ends (C.G.S. section 45a-361, C.G.S. section 45a-356). |
| PC-246 | Financial Report/Decedent's Estate, used in many estates under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.19. |
| PC-286 | Status Update/Decedent's Estate, used if the estate remains open past the first year, under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.21. |
| PC-213 | Affidavit of Closing, filed after distribution where the court directs it under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 36.12. Section 30.19 and section 30.21 cover the related report and status-update filings. |
| PC-280 and PC-480 | Bond waiver and probate bond materials. Connecticut bond practice is governed by C.G.S. section 45a-289. |
| PC-181, PC-244A and PC-245 | Waiver forms that can help the court act without a formal hearing when the required parties waive notice. |
| PC-482 | Appointment of the probate judge as agent for service of process when a proposed or appointed fiduciary lives outside Connecticut. Nonresident decedent venue is a separate question under C.G.S. section 45a-287. |
One commonly needed real-estate form is not in the online form list: PC-251, Notice for Land Records/Appointment of Fiduciary. Ask the clerk of the Bridgeport Probate Court for it if Connecticut real estate is involved.
Local nuance
Bridgeport Probate Court district-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means for estate settlement |
|---|---|
| Single-town district | The Bridgeport Probate Court serves Bridgeport only (C.G.S. section 45a-2). Nearby Stratford, Fairfield, Trumbull, Easton and Monroe are assigned to other Probate Courts. |
| Municipal building, state court | The court sits inside the Margaret Morton Government Center at 999 Broad Street, but the Probate Court is a state court. Use the court's ctprobate.gov page and the Probate Court Locator at ctprobate.gov/court-locator rather than a city department page. |
| Friday hours differ | The public hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call before making a trip, especially on Friday. |
| Large district, no local wait-time claim | Bridgeport is the largest of Connecticut's 54 probate districts by population served, but the court does not publish a hearing calendar or filing-to-hearing estimate. Do not infer a wait time from the size of the city. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Situation | Bridgeport path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with a co-owned home | If the Bridgeport home was held jointly with right of survivorship, the house passes outside probate by operation of law and is not part of the inventory filed under C.G.S. section 45a-341. Survivorship property also does not count toward the small estates procedure under C.G.S. section 45a-273, but the Connecticut estate tax return is still due within six months and the probate fee is computed under C.G.S. section 45a-107. | Sunset helps identify which accounts were solely owned, which assets passed outside probate, and which estate settlement path fits before forms are filed. |
| Out-of-state adult child with a small estate | If the parent was domiciled in Bridgeport, file at the Bridgeport Probate Court (C.G.S. section 45a-283, C.G.S. section 45a-303). If solely owned personal property fits the $40,000 figure set by P.A. 07-32 and there is no solely owned Connecticut real estate, use PC-212 under C.G.S. section 45a-273. A fiduciary who lives outside Connecticut uses PC-482 to appoint the probate judge as agent for service of process, while nonresident decedent venue is separately governed by C.G.S. section 45a-287. The original will must arrive on paper under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 7.1a. | Sunset helps find accounts from out of state, assemble the packet, and identify where a waiver or streamline notice under section 8.6 may avoid travel. |
| Parent settling a predeceased child's estate when a home must be sold | If the child owned Bridgeport real estate alone, the small estates procedure under C.G.S. section 45a-273 is not available. Use PC-200 in the district where the child was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-283), ask the court for PC-251 for the land records step, and file PC-2407 inventory within two months after qualification under C.G.S. section 45a-341. If the will does not authorize the sale, the fiduciary may need court permission to sell the real estate. | Sunset helps build the asset list for the inventory and can connect the family to a probate attorney for the real-estate sale petition. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Connecticut Probate Court Locator | Use the town dropdown to confirm whether the estate belongs at the Bridgeport Probate Court or at a neighboring Probate Court. The locator is especially useful because Bridgeport serves only one town (C.G.S. section 45a-2). | ctprobate.gov/court-locator |
| Connecticut Case Lookup | Search decedents' estates and trusts by name and filter to PD48, Bridgeport Probate Court. Case Lookup coverage runs from January 5, 2011 to the present. | ctprobate.gov/case-lookup |
| Probate Court User Guide: Administration of Decedents' Estates | The Probate Court Administrator's 2026 estate-settlement walkthrough explains the basic steps, including the Connecticut estate tax return due within six months. | ctprobate.gov Resource Library, User Guides |
| Statewide PC forms | Free Connecticut probate forms, including PC-200 for a full estate and PC-212 for the small estates procedure under C.G.S. section 45a-273. | ctprobate.gov/forms-list and ctprobate.gov/trusts-estates/trusts-estates-forms |
| Fees and expenses calculators | Use the statewide decedents' estates calculator for the later probate fee under C.G.S. section 45a-107. | ctprobate.gov/fees-expenses-calculators |
| Probate Court Rules of Procedure | Read the 2026 edition, effective July 1, 2026, including section 6.1 on filing fees, section 7.1a on paper wills, section 8.6 on streamline notice, section 22.1 on eFiling and section 66.1 on participation by electronic means. | ctprobate.gov/rules-procedure |
| Assistance for individuals with disabilities | Use PC-2 to request an accommodation. Give at least ten days' notice when possible; the request can be made later in an emergency. The accommodation contact for the Bridgeport Probate Court is the court's chief clerk at (203) 576-3945. | ctprobate.gov/assistance-disabled-ada |
| Connecticut Judicial Branch Law Library probate page | A law-librarian research page linking probate forms, fees, jurisdiction materials and user guides. | jud.ct.gov/lawlib/law/probatelaw.htm |
| Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut | Statewide legal-aid intake for people who cannot afford a lawyer, with screening and referrals. Hotline 1-800-453-3320. | slsct.org/get-help and ctlawhelp.org |
| Bridgeport Probate Court | The clerk's office can answer procedural questions and can supply forms such as PC-251. Probate Court clerks may provide forms and limited procedural assistance, but may not give legal advice. | 999 Broad Street, 1st Floor, Bridgeport, CT 06604, (203) 576-3945 |
When to hire an attorney
The Connecticut Probate Courts' own trusts and estates guidance says estate matters can be complex and that the advice of a lawyer is strongly recommended. Counsel is especially useful in Bridgeport when real estate must be sold, the estate may be insolvent, a claim or family dispute is likely, the fiduciary lives out of state, or the Connecticut estate tax return due within six months is not straightforward. Sunset connects families with a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify bank, investment, insurance and other assets so the executor or administrator can choose the correct estate settlement path and prepare the Bridgeport filing with a clearer asset picture.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for the Connecticut PC forms, including the Bridgeport court details, the people who need notice, and the asset list that supports the inventory under C.G.S. section 45a-341.
Find a local probate attorney. If the estate involves Bridgeport real estate, an out-of-state fiduciary, a dispute, tax complexity or a sale petition, Sunset can connect the family with a vetted Connecticut probate attorney.
Sunset is free for families. Sunset gives families a practical estate settlement workspace, document organization, asset discovery and attorney matching without charging the family.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate if my relative lived in Bridgeport?
File at the Bridgeport Probate Court if the person was domiciled in Bridgeport at death. A will is filed in the Probate Court for the district where the person was domiciled (C.G.S. section 45a-283), and an intestate estate is handled in the district where the person was domiciled (C.G.S. section 45a-303). The Bridgeport district serves Bridgeport only (C.G.S. section 45a-2).
Does the Bridgeport Probate Court serve Stratford, Fairfield or Trumbull?
No. Bridgeport is a single-town district under C.G.S. section 45a-2. Stratford, Fairfield, Trumbull, Easton and Monroe are assigned to other Probate Courts, even if 999 Broad Street is the closest courthouse for a family member. Use the Court Locator at ctprobate.gov/court-locator if the town is uncertain.
What does it cost to open an estate at the Bridgeport Probate Court?
No filing fee is due when a decedent's estate is opened. The Probate Court invoices a statutory fee later, computed on the value of the estate under C.G.S. section 45a-107. For deaths on or after July 1, 2016, that fee is graduated and includes a statutory cap, and the fee can apply even when assets pass outside probate.
What are the Bridgeport Probate Court's hours, and is Friday different?
The court is open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call (203) 576-3945 before making a trip, especially on a Friday afternoon.
Does the Bridgeport Probate Court accept electronic filings?
Connecticut uses one statewide eFiling system, powered by TurboCourt and governed by Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1. Attorneys who appear in a probate matter must register, while registration is optional for everyone else. The original will cannot be eFiled and must reach the court on paper under section 7.1a.
Are there local probate forms in Bridgeport?
Connecticut probate forms are statewide. The Bridgeport Probate Court uses the same numbered PC forms as every other Connecticut Probate Court and does not publish forms of its own. PC-212 is the Affidavit in Lieu of Probate of Will/Administration for the small estates procedure under C.G.S. section 45a-273, and PC-200 is used to open a full estate in the district where the person was domiciled under C.G.S. section 45a-283.
How do I look up a Bridgeport probate case?
Use Connecticut's statewide Case Lookup at ctprobate.gov/case-lookup and filter to PD48, Bridgeport Probate Court. Case Lookup covers decedents' estates and trusts from January 5, 2011 to the present, with incomplete earlier coverage. It shows case index information and fiduciary contact information, not filings or dockets.
Do I have to go to the courthouse in Bridgeport for a hearing?
Not always. If everyone entitled to notice files waivers, or if the court uses the streamline notice procedure under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 8.6 and nobody requests a hearing, the court can issue a decree without the parties present. If a hearing is set, section 66.1 lets the court allow participation by electronic means on request or on its own motion, but that is the court's decision and no platform is named.
What proof will a bank accept that I am the executor or administrator?
When the Probate Court appoints you, the clerk issues a certificate of appointment. Under C.G.S. section 45a-200, that certificate is sufficient evidence of your authority and identity for one year from issuance, absent actual notice of revocation. Ask the Bridgeport clerk for the certified copies you expect to need.
Do I have to file a Connecticut estate tax return if nothing went through probate?
Yes. A Connecticut estate tax return is due within six months of death, and the Probate Court uses it to compute the probate fee under C.G.S. section 45a-107. For 2026 deaths at or below the exemption, CT-706 NT is filed with the Probate Court, meaning the Bridgeport Probate Court for a Bridgeport resident.
Shaped by the families we've helped
Thank you to the thousands of families who have trusted Sunset to help settle their loved ones' estates. This page is shaped by the questions they actually asked and the obstacles they actually hit — and that hard-won experience is what keeps it accurate, current, and genuinely useful to the families who come next.