Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s Judicial Review Commission, appointed to examine public access to the judicial branch’s records and proceedings, will hold the first of five public hearings 7 p.m. tonight at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. Rell formed the panel in June three months after former Chief Justice William J. Sullivan admitted that in mid-March, before he retired as chief justice, he withheld a court ruling to assist his successor, Justice Peter T. Zarella, nominated by Rell.
The schedule of public hearing is as follows:August 1 Hartford Room 2C, Legislative Office BuildingAugust 7 Norwalk Norwalk Community College, East ForumAugust 10 East Haven East Haven Senior Center, Taylor AvenueAugust 15 Norwich Council Chambers, City Hall, 100 BroadwayAugust 17 Waterbury Chambers East, City Hall, 236 Grand Street Each hearing will begin at 7:00 p.m. Sign-up for public comment will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the same location, and speakers will be limited to five minutes of testimony. The public is also encouraged to submit written testimony, if possible. Testimony can be submitted via e-mail to judicialreform@cga.ct.gov at any time, or they can be submitted in person at any one of the public hearings. If testimony is submitted in writing, it must be accompanied by ten copies to be given to the Commission staff 30 minutes prior to the start of the hearing.
