House Republican Press Release

April 19, 2007

Press Office: 860-240-8700

Rep. Greene: House Confirms Former Seymour 1st Selectman As Alternate Member of judicial Review Council

House Votes Unanimously to Confirm Scott Barton’s Nomination to Position

The state House of Representatives Wednesday voted unanimously to confirm the appointment of former Seymour 1^st Selectman Scott A. Barton as an alternate member of the state Judicial Review Council, state Representative Leonard C. Greene announced today.

“Scott Barton has served with the state’s Judicial Branch in several capacities in addition to his current service as a Workers’ Compensation Commissioner,” said Representative Greene, R-105^th District, who supported Mr. Barton’s nomination in remarks on the floor of the House. “As a state representative, I worked with him on several occasions on projects of importance to Seymour when he was first selectman. Mr. Barton’s experience with the state’s judicial system and the Workers Compensation Commission make him uniquely well-qualified to be an alternate member of the Judicial Review Council. He will be a conscientious and valuable member of this critical state panel and will serve with distinction if called upon to fill in for one of the regular members.”

The Judicial Review Council investigates complaints against judges, workers' compensation commissioners, and family support magistrates and makes recommendations regarding their reappointment and, in the case of judges, appointment to a different court. The council can admonish, censure, or suspend any of them for up to one year or recommend to the Supreme Court a longer suspension or removal from office.

The council consists of 12 regular members and 13 alternates appointed by the governor with the General Assembly's approval. The 12 regular members are three judges, three attorneys, and six people who are neither.

The alternates include: two Superior Court judges who are not Supreme Court judges and who are selected from a list of four judges selected by the members of the Superior Court, two attorneys who practice in Connecticut, three people who are not judges or attorneys, three workers' compensation commissioners, and three family support magistrates.

The first three categories of alternates serve at probable cause and public hearings in place of the appropriate category of a regular member who is absent or disqualified, as designated by the council's executive director. A compensation commissioner or family support magistrate alternate, as designated by the executive director, serves in place of one of the judges when the investigation or complaint involves a compensation commissioner or family support magistrate respectively.