It is possible that Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy will replace one or more of the state's nine family support magistrates, political appointees who are paid $121,615 a year to decide cases involving child support, alimony, visitation, and paternity.
The three-year terms of five out of the nine magistrates ran out Jan. 7, while a sixth magistrate's term is up on April 13. Malloy's chief legal counsel, Andrew McDonald, said he's in the final stages of interviewing incumbent magistrates who are seeking reappointment to another term, and he says he's also talking to outside candidates for the posts.
A full discussion of the situation, including arguments by a couple of controversial magistrates as to why they should be reappointed, is in Sunday's Courant Government Watch column.