To the Editor:

This is a letter of support for the Honorable Daniel O’Grady who currently serves as the judge of probate for the town of Bethel. The citizenry may be aware that Newtown, Bethel, Redding, and Ridgefield are now organized by state mandate for a regional judge to serve the four towns. The primary to nominate the Republican candidate is August 10.

As a Newtown resident and municipal employee, I am supporting Dan for his character, competence, and compassion.

I have known Dan for over 40 years and had the privilege of watching him grow all the way from youth to where he is today. As a teenager, Dan had a tremendous work ethic and would not miss a day “pumping gas” even when ill. During college he set himself apart with tremendous academic effort while others partied. He was a principled person even back then, often debating social issues of the day and expressing concerns about the “state of the world.” He earned his MBA and JD part-time in the evenings while raising three sons in Bethel. He went on to serve for many years as an attorney and probate judge with a strong sense of community in that same town. If you cast a vote for Dan, you can be most assured that he is honest to the core!

Dan’s level of competence is on the record. With the MBA, he is uniquely qualified to engage in fiduciary matters in the context of law. The people of Bethel will be the first to testify of his competence with personal estate administration, adjudication of custody issues, and other sensitive family issues requiring legal intervention. In addition, the record shows that virtually all cases appealed have been upheld by higher courts, including the Connecticut Supreme Court. The many years Dan has served as a successful sitting probate judge merit serious consideration of voters from all four towns. If you cast a vote for Dan, you can be most confident of his expertise!

For me, the last quality I refer to is the most important! Dan has a very high level of compassion for the plight of people facing difficult legal issues. As many in Newtown will attest to with his time on the bench for Judge Hall during her leave of absence, Dan presided with kindness and fairness. He has a tremendous ability to command confidence and respect in the dispensation of law. He genuinely loves people and has an unusually strong desire to serve the community. Matters involving the mentally challenged, custody and adoption, and coordination with social service agencies for protecting the rights of the underprivileged are tangible evidence of Dan’s genuine concern. If you cast a vote for Dan, you can be certain of electing a probate judge who highly regards objective compassion.

Thank you for considering Dan as the Republican nominee for regional probate judge.

Donald H. Ramsey

3 Prospect Drive, Newtown                                          July 26, 2010