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Middletown Probate Court, CT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Topic | Information |
|---|---|
| Court | Middletown Probate Court, PD-15, serving Cromwell, Durham, Middlefield and Middletown (C.G.S. section 45a-2). |
| Courthouse address | 94 Court Street, Middletown, CT 06457. |
| Mailing | The court page does not list a separate mailing address. Use 94 Court Street unless the clerk gives a different mailing instruction. |
| Phone | (860) 347-7424. |
| Fax | (860) 346-1520. |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No lunch closure or seasonal schedule is listed on the court page. |
| Decedent estate cost at filing | 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. |
| Forms | Statewide numbered PC forms are used. The Middletown Probate Court does not publish forms of its own. |
| eFiling | Connecticut uses statewide eFiling powered by TurboCourt. Attorneys must register, and registration is optional for others, under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1. The original will cannot be eFiled and must reach the court on paper under section 7.1a. |
| Case lookup | Use Connecticut Case Lookup at ctprobate.gov/case-lookup and filter to PD15. Coverage for decedents' estates and trusts runs from January 5, 2011 to the present, with incomplete earlier coverage. |
| Remote participation | Remote participation is a request decided by the court under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 66.1. The court page does not name a platform. |
| Website | https://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/middletown-probate-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you choose a filing path at the Middletown Probate Court, make a complete list of the decedent's assets, debts, jointly owned property and beneficiary-designated accounts. That list drives venue, the estate tax return due within six months, and the later statutory probate fee under C.G.S. section 45a-107.
Sunset's estate settlement process starts with asset discovery across 2,300 institutions so you can see what may need Probate Court action in Cromwell, Durham, Middlefield or Middletown before you prepare forms.
Which court handles jurisdiction
The Middletown Probate Court is the Probate Court for PD-15. It serves Cromwell, Durham, Middlefield and Middletown, and those four towns are the towns assigned to this district by C.G.S. section 45a-2.
If a Connecticut resident decedent was domiciled in one of those towns and left a will, the application to probate the will belongs in the district where the testator was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-283). If the decedent died intestate, the Probate Court for the district where the deceased 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 supplies the possible Connecticut districts.
The courthouse is in Middletown at 94 Court Street. If you are unsure which Connecticut Probate Court serves a town, use the statewide Court Locator at ctprobate.gov/court-locator.
The jurisdiction process
- Confirm the correct court. Use the Middletown Probate Court for a decedent domiciled in Cromwell, Durham, Middlefield or Middletown (C.G.S. section 45a-2, C.G.S. section 45a-283, C.G.S. section 45a-303). If the decedent was not a Connecticut resident but owned Connecticut property, review C.G.S. section 45a-287 before choosing the district.
- Choose the filing path and forms. A full estate generally starts with PC-200 for administration or probate of will, tied to the will-filing rule in C.G.S. section 45a-283. If the C.G.S. section 45a-273 small estate procedure applies, the family uses PC-212 instead, but it is still filed with the Probate Court.
- File with the Middletown Probate Court at 94 Court Street, Middletown, CT 06457, by mail, in person, or through the statewide eFiling system if that method fits your role. Attorneys must register for eFiling, and registration is optional for others, under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1. The original will cannot be eFiled and must reach the court on paper under section 7.1a.
- Plan for the Connecticut fee model. Connecticut does not charge a filing fee to open a decedent's estate. The Middletown Probate Court bills the estate later under C.G.S. section 45a-107, using the same statutory fee structure applied statewide under C.G.S. section 45a-105.
- Watch for notice and hearing instructions from the court. The Probate Court may set a hearing, accept waivers, or use the streamline notice procedure under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 8.6. If a hearing, conference or deposition is set, remote participation is a request the court decides under section 66.1.
- After appointment, ask the clerk for certified copies of the certificate of appointment. Under C.G.S. section 45a-200, the certificate of appointment is sufficient evidence of the fiduciary's authority and identity for one year from issuance.
- Administer the estate. The fiduciary files the decedent's estate inventory, including PC-2407 when used, within two months after qualification unless extended as allowed by C.G.S. section 45a-341. The court places creditor notice within fourteen days after the first fiduciary is appointed under C.G.S. section 45a-354. Creditors generally have 150 days to present claims under C.G.S. section 45a-356, and the fiduciary files the return of claims, including PC-237 when used, within 60 days after that period under C.G.S. section 45a-361.
- File tax and closing papers. The Connecticut estate tax return is due within six months and is filed with the Probate Court for a resident decedent from Cromwell, Durham, Middlefield or Middletown. Most estates close with a financial report such as PC-246 under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.19, followed by distribution under the court's decree and any affidavit of closing the court directs.
Forms and documents
Probate forms at the Middletown Probate Court
Connecticut probate forms are statewide. The Middletown 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.
| Form | Use |
|---|---|
| PC-200 | Petition to open a full decedent's estate or probate a will, connected to the resident venue and will-filing rule in C.G.S. section 45a-283. |
| PC-212 | Affidavit in lieu filing for the C.G.S. section 45a-273 small estate procedure. |
| PC-2407 | Decedent's estate inventory, filed within the C.G.S. section 45a-341 inventory deadline. |
| PC-237 | Return of claims and list of notified creditors, filed under C.G.S. section 45a-361 after the claims period. |
| PC-246 | Financial report for many decedent estates, filed under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.19. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse with co-owned home | If the decedent lived in Cromwell, Durham, Middlefield or Middletown, use the Middletown Probate Court for any needed estate filing (C.G.S. section 45a-2, C.G.S. section 45a-283). A co-owned home may pass outside the probate estate, but the Connecticut estate tax return is still due within six months, and the later probate fee is computed under C.G.S. section 45a-107. | Sunset helps identify joint accounts, beneficiary designations and assets that still need Probate Court attention, then organizes the estate settlement tasks around the Middletown filing. |
| Out-of-state adult child with small estate | An adult child in New York handling an estate for a parent who lived in Middletown files in this court if the C.G.S. section 45a-273 small estate procedure applies. That path is available only when the decedent had no solely owned Connecticut real property and solely owned personal property does not exceed $40,000 under C.G.S. section 45a-273. | Sunset helps sort assets, prepare the PC-212 packet tied to C.G.S. section 45a-273, and flag any out-of-state fiduciary paperwork to ask the clerk about. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the child was domiciled in Cromwell, Durham, Middlefield or Middletown and owned a home that must be sold, the matter generally proceeds as a full estate at the Middletown Probate Court. The fiduciary should expect court steps for appointment, the certificate of appointment under C.G.S. section 45a-200, the inventory deadline under C.G.S. section 45a-341, and any court permission needed before sale if the will does not already authorize it. | Sunset helps gather account information, organize forms and deadlines, and connect the family with a local probate attorney when a real estate sale makes estate settlement more complex. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Middletown Probate Court | Filing office for estates of people who lived in Cromwell, Durham, Middlefield or Middletown. The clerk can provide forms and limited procedural help, but cannot give legal advice. | 94 Court Street, Middletown, CT 06457; (860) 347-7424; fax (860) 346-1520; https://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/middletown-probate-court |
| Connecticut Court Locator | Town-by-town Probate Court lookup for all Connecticut towns. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/court-locator |
| Connecticut Case Lookup | Free statewide search for decedents' estates and trusts, filterable to PD15, with coverage from January 5, 2011 to the present. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/case-lookup |
| Connecticut probate forms | Statewide numbered PC form catalogue used by every Connecticut Probate Court. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/forms-list |
| Administration of Decedents' Estates user guide | Plain-English guide from the Probate Court Administrator for Connecticut estate administration. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/trusts-estates/trusts-estates-user-guides |
| Connecticut probate fee calculators | Calculators for statutory fees, including the decedent estate probate fee later invoiced under C.G.S. section 45a-107. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/fees-expenses-calculators |
| Probate Court accommodation requests | Disability accommodation process for Connecticut Probate Courts, including form PC-2 and a request for at least ten days' notice where possible. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/assistance-individuals-disabilities-ada |
| Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut | Statewide legal aid intake for people with low income. Use it as a general legal aid starting point. | 1-800-453-3320; https://slsct.org/ |
| CTLawHelp.org | Free Connecticut self-help legal library and legal help finder. | https://ctlawhelp.org/en/get-legal-help |
When to hire an attorney
Connecticut Probate Court guidance says estate matters can be complex and that a lawyer is often advisable. Counsel is especially useful in the Middletown Probate Court district when a home must be sold, heirs disagree, the fiduciary lives outside Connecticut, tax questions affect the estate tax return due within six months, or an appeal to the Superior Court is being considered under C.G.S. section 45a-186. Sunset connects to a vetted attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families identify bank, brokerage, retirement, insurance and other accounts that may affect estate settlement before forms are filed with the Middletown Probate Court.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset organizes the information needed for Connecticut PC forms and gives families a filing-ready packet to review before submitting papers to the court.
Find a local probate attorney. When the estate involves real estate, a dispute, tax complexity or questions about fiduciary duties, Sunset can connect the family with a Connecticut probate attorney familiar with local Probate Court practice.
Sunset is free for families. Families can use Sunset to understand the estate settlement path, organize assets and prepare for the Middletown Probate Court without paying Sunset.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for someone who lived in Middletown, Cromwell, Durham or Middlefield?
File with the Middletown Probate Court if the decedent was domiciled in Cromwell, Durham, Middlefield or Middletown. Those are the four towns assigned to PD-15 under C.G.S. section 45a-2. A will for a Connecticut resident is filed in the district where the testator was domiciled at death under C.G.S. section 45a-283, and an intestate estate belongs in the district where the deceased was domiciled under C.G.S. section 45a-303.
What does it cost to open a decedent's estate at the Middletown Probate Court?
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 Middletown 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 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.
May I use eFiling for the Middletown Probate Court?
The Connecticut Probate Courts run one statewide eFiling system, powered by TurboCourt. Attorneys who appear in a probate matter must register for it under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1. Registration is optional for everyone else, and a self-represented party may open an Individual account and file at the Middletown Probate Court that way. Once eFiling access is granted in a matter, section 22.3 controls later electronic filings and service. The original will cannot be eFiled and must reach the court on paper under section 7.1a.
Can I attend a Middletown Probate Court hearing remotely?
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 Middletown Probate Court what that court expects.
Does the Middletown Probate Court publish hearing days or a probate schedule?
The court page lists the address, hours, phone, fax and towns served, but it does not list hearing days, a docket or a standing schedule. Call the clerk before planning travel. If a hearing is needed, the court's notice will control, and an appeal from a Probate Court decree generally goes to the Superior Court within thirty days under C.G.S. section 45a-186.
How do I look up a Middletown Probate Court estate?
Use Connecticut Case Lookup at ctprobate.gov/case-lookup. Search by name and filter to the Middletown Probate Court district, PD15. The tool covers decedents' estates and trusts from January 5, 2011 to the present, with incomplete earlier coverage, and shows case index information and fiduciary contact information rather than filings or dockets.
Does the Middletown Probate Court have its own forms?
Connecticut probate forms are statewide. The Middletown 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.
Do I have to travel to Middletown if I live out of state?
Not always. Many Connecticut probate steps can be handled by mail, statewide eFiling under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1, waivers, or the court's streamline notice procedure under section 8.6. If a hearing is set, remote participation is a request under section 66.1, not an automatic right. The original will still must reach the Probate Court on paper under section 7.1a.
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.