The mission of the Connecticut Judicial Branch is to serve the interests of justice and the public by resolving matters brought before it in a fair, timely, efficient and open manner.
Connecticut Judicial Branch Celebrates the
30th Anniversary of the Appellate Court
October 3, 2013
Supreme Court Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers didn’t quibble when she praised the Connecticut Appellate Court and its Judges and staff throughout the years for their “…spirit, camaraderie and collegiality.” Speaking at the Appellate Court’s 30th Anniversary Celebration, the Chief Justice commended the Court’s significant reduction through the years of the cumbersome backlog of appeals and further complimented its Judges and Staff for not only meeting expectations but exceeding them, “…time and time again.”Former Appellate Court Chief Judges Antoinette L. Dupont, Joseph P. Flynn and William J. Lavery sat in the packed courtroom gallery in the Courthouse at 75 Elm Street along with former Supreme Court Chief Justices Ellen Ash Peters and Francis M. McDonald, Jr. A number of retired Supreme Court Justices and Appellate Court Judges joined active members of their Courts as well as other Judges of the Superior Court, members of the Bar, staff, friends and family for the ceremony.
Photos from the Event
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Chief Justice Rogers, who served on the Appellate Court from March
2006 until she was sworn in as Chief Justice on April 25, 2007, fondly
recalled her time there. “There’s something else extraordinary about the
Appellate Court that has nothing to do with numbers, and I’m fortunate to
have first-hand knowledge of this aspect,” she said. “If you ask anyone who
has worked here—whether it was a judge, a law clerk, or a permanent staff
member—what was most memorable about the time he or she spent here, the
answer always seems to come around to the spirit, camaraderie and
collegiality that exists. I loved my time here as an Appellate Court Judge,
and I’ve been known to mention that if you want the best job in the system a
good argument can be made that it’s right here.”
Chief Justice Rogers introduced the Hon. Alexandra D. DiPentima, whom she appointed as the Appellate Court’s Chief Judge in March 2010, by saying, “I can describe her in one word: ‘perfect.’ She is incredibly thoughtful in her rendering of decisions as well as in her interactions with people. She is inclusive and wants to hear from everyone and, because of this, she is genuinely loved by the Bench and the Bar. She is a wonderful consensus builder and I am pleased to call her my colleague and my friend.”
Chief Judge DiPentima gave a brief history of the Court then praised former Chief Judge Dupont for setting the tone for its members.
“Judge Dupont set a standard for collegiality that has been passed on to the judges who have been appointed to the court, and it is a lesson that I take to heart,” said Judge DiPentima.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, Billie (Judge Dupont), for your dedication and service to this court, as an original member of this court, as the Chief Judge, as a Senior Judge, and now as Judge Trial Referee. Your innovations, your insight continue and they continue to improve the court. You inspire me every day.”
The Appellate Court, which was created in 1983 with five judges, now has nine judges. In 1995 legislation was passed, at the prompting of Judge Dupont, to allow retired and Senior Judges of the Appellate Court and Justices of the Supreme Court to sit by designation on the Appellate Court. Today there are 14 Judges and Justices who hear Appellate cases.
Remarks by Chief Justice Rogers | Remarks by Chief Judge DiPentima
Chief Justice Rogers introduced the Hon. Alexandra D. DiPentima, whom she appointed as the Appellate Court’s Chief Judge in March 2010, by saying, “I can describe her in one word: ‘perfect.’ She is incredibly thoughtful in her rendering of decisions as well as in her interactions with people. She is inclusive and wants to hear from everyone and, because of this, she is genuinely loved by the Bench and the Bar. She is a wonderful consensus builder and I am pleased to call her my colleague and my friend.”
Chief Judge DiPentima gave a brief history of the Court then praised former Chief Judge Dupont for setting the tone for its members.
“Judge Dupont set a standard for collegiality that has been passed on to the judges who have been appointed to the court, and it is a lesson that I take to heart,” said Judge DiPentima.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, Billie (Judge Dupont), for your dedication and service to this court, as an original member of this court, as the Chief Judge, as a Senior Judge, and now as Judge Trial Referee. Your innovations, your insight continue and they continue to improve the court. You inspire me every day.”
The Appellate Court, which was created in 1983 with five judges, now has nine judges. In 1995 legislation was passed, at the prompting of Judge Dupont, to allow retired and Senior Judges of the Appellate Court and Justices of the Supreme Court to sit by designation on the Appellate Court. Today there are 14 Judges and Justices who hear Appellate cases.
Remarks by Chief Justice Rogers | Remarks by Chief Judge DiPentima