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Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court, CT Probate Information
Quick facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Court | Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court, PD-30 |
| Courthouse address | Town Hall, 45 Fort Hill Road, Groton, CT 06340 |
| Mailing | Use the courthouse address. The court does not publish a separate mailing address. |
| Phone | (860) 441-6655 |
| Fax | (860) 441-6657 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The court does not publish a lunch closure, filing cutoff or seasonal schedule. |
| Filing cost | 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 probate forms are statewide. The Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court uses the same numbered PC forms as every other Connecticut Probate Court, and the court does not publish forms of its own. |
| eFiling | The statewide eFiling system is powered by TurboCourt. Attorneys who appear in a probate matter must register, while registration is optional for everyone else (Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1). The original will cannot be eFiled and must reach the court on paper (section 7.1a). |
| Case lookup | Connecticut's free statewide Case Lookup covers decedents' estates and trusts from January 5, 2011 to the present, with earlier results incomplete. Filter to PD30 or Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court. |
| Remote requests | Remote participation is discretionary. The court may allow participation by electronic means under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 66.1, but the rule creates a request process, not a right. |
| Website | https://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/southeastern-ct-regional-probate-court |
Before you begin — know the assets and liabilities
Before you file at the Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court, make a working list of assets, debts, beneficiary designations and real estate. Connecticut estate settlement depends on what was owned in the decedent's name, what passed outside probate, whether the person was domiciled in Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington or Stonington, and whether a Connecticut estate tax return must be filed within six months.
Sunset's asset discovery searches more than 2,300 institutions so families can identify accounts before choosing the right local filing path. That asset picture also helps you decide whether the estate can use the C.G.S. section 45a-273 small estate procedure or needs a full estate settlement at the Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court.
Which court handles jurisdiction
Connecticut probate is handled by a separate statewide system of 54 probate districts, one for each Probate Court district, not by the Superior Court and not by any county (C.G.S. section 45a-2). The Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court serves Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington and Stonington (C.G.S. section 45a-2). The courthouse is in Groton Town Hall.
If the decedent left a will and was domiciled in one of those towns at death, the executor applies in this court within thirty days under C.G.S. section 45a-283. If the decedent died intestate, the Probate Court in the district where the person was domiciled has jurisdiction to grant letters of administration (C.G.S. section 45a-303). For a nonresident decedent with Connecticut property, C.G.S. section 45a-287 supplies the possible Connecticut districts, and the court that first assumes jurisdiction keeps it.
Use the statewide Court Locator at ctprobate.gov/court-locator if you are unsure which Probate Court covers a town. Mystic appears on the court's own page and in the Court Locator, but Mystic is a village within Groton and Stonington, and the statutory towns served by this Probate Court district are Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington and Stonington (C.G.S. section 45a-2).
A decision of the Probate Court may be appealed to the Superior Court, generally within thirty days from the date the Probate Court sent the decree (C.G.S. section 45a-186).
The jurisdiction process
- Identify the correct Probate Court district. File here if the decedent was domiciled in Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington or Stonington, or if a nonresident estate belongs here under Connecticut's property venue rules (C.G.S. section 45a-283, C.G.S. section 45a-287, C.G.S. section 45a-303).
- Prepare the opening papers. A full estate usually begins with PC-200, Petition/Administration or Probate of Will, filed in the district where the decedent was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-283). If there is an original will, send or bring the original paper will to the Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court because it cannot be eFiled (Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 7.1a).
- File with the clerk at Town Hall, 45 Fort Hill Road, Groton, CT 06340, by mail, in person during published hours, or through Connecticut's statewide eFiling system if you are eligible to use it. Attorneys who appear must register for eFiling, while registration is optional for self-represented filers (Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1).
- Do not attach payment to open 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 Southeastern CT Regional 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.
- Follow the notice path the court uses. The Probate Court may set a hearing, accept waivers from all persons entitled to notice, or use the streamline notice procedure with at least ten days to request a hearing (Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 8.6). After the first fiduciary is appointed, the court places newspaper notice to creditors within fourteen days (C.G.S. section 45a-354).
- Ask early if someone needs to participate from another location. 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 Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court what that court expects.
- Get proof of authority after appointment. 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 Southeastern CT Regional 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.
- Administer and close the estate. File the decedent's-estate inventory within two months after qualification, unless the court extends the time for cause to not more than four months (C.G.S. section 45a-341). Handle claims through the Connecticut creditor process, including the 150-day period under C.G.S. section 45a-356 and the return of claims under C.G.S. section 45a-361. File the Connecticut estate tax return within six months, then file the financial report or account the court requires, such as PC-246 under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.19, before distribution and closing.
Forms and documents
Probate forms at the Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court
Connecticut probate forms are statewide. The Southeastern CT Regional 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 | Local filing note |
|---|---|---|
| PC-200 | Petition/Administration or Probate of Will, used to open a full estate where the decedent was domiciled in the proper Probate Court district (C.G.S. section 45a-283). | File with the Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court if the decedent was domiciled in Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington or Stonington. |
| PC-212 | Affidavit in Lieu of Probate of Will/Administration, used for the C.G.S. section 45a-273 small estate procedure. | File here only if this is the correct Probate Court district under C.G.S. section 45a-2 and the estate qualifies under C.G.S. section 45a-273. |
| PC-2407 | Inventory/Decedents' Estates, the decedent's-estate inventory filed after appointment (C.G.S. section 45a-341). | The fiduciary files it with the court after qualification. |
| PC-237 | Return of Claims and List of Notified Creditors, used after the creditor claims period (C.G.S. section 45a-361). | Use it with the Connecticut claims process handled through this court. |
| PC-246 | Financial Report/Decedent's Estate, the closing report used in many estates (Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 30.19). | File it when the estate is ready for the court's review before final distribution. |
Local nuance
Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court district-specific considerations
| Local point | What it means |
|---|---|
| Mystic appears on the court page | The court's own page lists Mystic with Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington and Stonington. Mystic is a village within Groton and Stonington, so it is covered here, but it is not a fifth Connecticut town for C.G.S. section 45a-2 purposes. |
| The courthouse is in Groton Town Hall | Use Town Hall, 45 Fort Hill Road, Groton, CT 06340 for in-person filings and mail unless the clerk gives a different instruction. |
| No separate local packet is published | The court page publishes contact information, hours and towns served, while Connecticut's statewide PC forms and statewide procedure supply the probate packet. |
Recent updates
Scenarios
| Scenario | Likely local path | Where Sunset helps |
|---|---|---|
| Surviving spouse w/ co-owned home | If the spouse and decedent co-owned the home in Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington or Stonington, confirm what passes outside probate and still prepare the Connecticut estate tax return within six months. If a court appointment is needed for other assets, file in the Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court under the domicile rules (C.G.S. section 45a-283). | Sunset helps identify accounts, beneficiary designations and debts so the spouse can see what needs court authority and what may pass outside probate. |
| Out-of-state adult child w/ small estate | An adult child living in New York may be able to use the C.G.S. section 45a-273 small estate procedure if the estate qualifies and the decedent was domiciled in one of the four towns served by this court. A nonresident fiduciary may also need to appoint the probate judge as agent for service. | Sunset helps gather account information, organize the C.G.S. section 45a-273 packet, and connect the family with a Connecticut probate attorney if the child does not want to manage filings from out of state. |
| Parent settling predeceased child's estate, home must be sold | If the child owned a home in one of the towns served by this court, a full estate is usually the local path because a court-appointed fiduciary may be needed before sale, inventory and final distribution. The inventory clock runs under C.G.S. section 45a-341, and the creditor notice process runs through C.G.S. section 45a-354 and related claims statutes. | Sunset helps find financial accounts, prepare a probate packet, and connect the parent with a local probate attorney for sale authority and closing coordination. |
Self-help resources
| Resource | How it helps | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court | The filing office for estates of people domiciled in Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington or Stonington. The clerk can provide forms and limited procedural help but cannot give legal advice. | Town Hall, 45 Fort Hill Road, Groton, CT 06340. Phone: (860) 441-6655. Fax: (860) 441-6657. Website: https://www.ctprobate.gov/courts/southeastern-ct-regional-probate-court |
| Connecticut Court Locator | Town-by-town Probate Court lookup at ctprobate.gov, useful if you need to confirm the correct Probate Court district under C.G.S. section 45a-2. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/court-locator |
| Connecticut Case Lookup | Free statewide search of decedents' estates and trusts by name, filterable to PD30. Coverage runs from January 5, 2011 to the present, with earlier information incomplete. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/case-lookup |
| Connecticut probate forms | Statewide numbered PC forms used by every Connecticut Probate Court. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/forms-list |
| Administration of Decedents' Estates user guide | The Probate Court Administrator's 2026 guide to Connecticut estate administration, including opening, inventory, claims, taxes, financial reports and closing. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/trusts-estates/trusts-estates-user-guides |
| Connecticut probate fee calculators | Calculators that estimate the amount later invoiced for a decedent's estate under C.G.S. section 45a-107. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/fees-expenses-calculators |
| Probate Court accommodation requests | A person with a disability can request an accommodation from any Connecticut Probate Court on form PC-2, with at least ten days' notice where possible. | https://www.ctprobate.gov/assistance-individuals-disabilities-ada |
| Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut | Statewide legal aid intake line for people with low income, including residents of the towns served by this court. | 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's Probate Court Administrator says estate matters can be complex and that legal advice is often advisable, even though a lawyer is not required for every estate. Counsel is especially useful when a will is contested, a fiduciary lives outside Connecticut, real estate must be sold, taxes are unclear, or family members disagree about appointment or distribution. Sunset connects you to a vetted probate attorney.
How Sunset helps
Find the accounts and assets. Sunset helps families build the asset list that drives Connecticut estate settlement, from bank and brokerage accounts to insurance, retirement accounts and debts.
Generate the probate packet. Sunset turns the asset and family information you provide into an organized Connecticut probate packet for the right court, including the Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court when the decedent was domiciled in Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington or Stonington.
Find a local probate attorney. When an estate involves real estate, tax questions, a contested appointment or an out-of-state fiduciary, Sunset can connect the family with a Connecticut probate attorney who handles work in this Probate Court district (C.G.S. section 45a-2).
Sunset is free for families. Sunset gives families a practical estate settlement starting point, helps organize the work, and connects them with local help when court filings or legal advice are needed.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I file probate for someone who lived in Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington or Stonington?
File at the Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court if the decedent was domiciled in Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington or Stonington (C.G.S. section 45a-2). For a will, the executor applies in the district where the decedent was domiciled at death (C.G.S. section 45a-283). For an intestate estate, the district where the decedent was domiciled grants letters of administration (C.G.S. section 45a-303).
Does the Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court cover Mystic?
Yes, if the Mystic address is within Groton or Stonington. The court's page lists Mystic, and the statewide Court Locator at ctprobate.gov also recognizes Mystic, but Mystic is a village rather than a separate Connecticut town. The towns served under C.G.S. section 45a-2 are Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington and Stonington.
Can I use eFiling for this Probate Court?
Connecticut uses one statewide eFiling system powered by TurboCourt. Attorneys who appear in a probate matter must register, and registration is optional for self-represented parties (Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 22.1). The original will cannot be eFiled and must be delivered on paper (section 7.1a).
What does it cost to open a decedent's estate in this 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. The statewide calculator at ctprobate.gov/fees-expenses-calculators can estimate the amount for a decedent who died on or after July 1, 2016.
Can I look up a Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court estate online?
Yes. Connecticut's statewide Case Lookup covers decedents' estates and trusts from January 5, 2011 to the present, with incomplete coverage before that date. Search by name and filter to PD30 or Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court. The tool shows case index information and fiduciary contact information, not filings or a docket.
Does this court publish its own probate forms?
No local probate packet is published on the court page. Connecticut probate forms are statewide, and the Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court uses the same numbered PC forms as every other Probate Court. For example, PC-200 opens a full estate in the proper domicile district (C.G.S. section 45a-283), and PC-212 is used for the C.G.S. section 45a-273 small estate procedure.
Do I have to travel to Groton for a probate hearing?
Not always. The Probate Court may set a hearing, accept written waivers, or use the streamline notice procedure that gives interested persons at least ten days to request a hearing (Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 8.6). If you need to participate by phone or video, ask the clerk about a request for participation by electronic means under Probate Court Rules of Procedure, section 66.1.
What authority do I receive after appointment?
The clerk issues a certificate of appointment after the Probate Court appoints an executor or administrator. Under C.G.S. section 45a-200, that certificate of appointment is sufficient evidence of the fiduciary's authority and identity for one year from the date issued.
Where is the Connecticut estate tax return filed for this district?
For a decedent domiciled in Groton, Ledyard, North Stonington or Stonington, the Connecticut estate tax return is filed with the Southeastern CT Regional Probate Court within six months. If Form CT-706 NT applies, it is filed with the Probate Court. If Form CT-706/709 applies, it goes to the Commissioner of Revenue Services with a copy to the Probate Court.
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.