Connecticut Fiduciary Kristan Exner Faces Investigation Over Home Sales

This blog post takes a look at a Connecticut probate case that’s put a state-contract attorney under scrutiny for possible conflicts of interest. It also explores how this situation is shaking up oversight of conservators who work in multiple courts around the state.

What the Exner investigation means for Connecticut probate matters

The investigation focuses on Kristan Exner, a state-contracted attorney now under review by a Connecticut grievance panel. She sold homes of people she served as a court-appointed conservator to her business partner, Joseph Garin, without telling anyone about their relationship.

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Records show Exner sold two homes to Garin while acting as a fiduciary. Garin quickly flipped them, with one sale netting him more than double what he paid.

Probate judge Ben Gettinger referred Exner’s conduct to the Statewide Bar Counsel after new details came out in a separate case involving Milford resident Barbara Tobin. In Tobin’s case, her attorney pushed for Exner’s permanent disbarment, accusing her of conflicts of interest and maybe even perjury.

Gettinger put off making a decision while the bar investigation goes forward. Exner has said the Bar Counsel formally opened a review. The grievance process also included a public note defending the process and warning against outside commentary.

Timeline of key events

Exner sold two conservatorship properties to her business partner while serving as conservator.
Garin quickly resold those properties, including one for over double the original price.
Judge Gettinger referred everything to the Statewide Bar Counsel after hearing new information in the Tobin case.
The Tobin case called for disbarment and flagged conflicts of interest and possible perjury.
Gettinger held off on a decision until the bar investigation wraps up.
Exner confirmed the Bar Counsel has started a formal review.
Several judges, including Gettinger, have stopped appointing Exner to new probate cases for now.
The probate administration said it can’t discipline conservators directly, but it can end contracts for breaches of Conservator Standards of Practice.

Who is involved and how oversight is evolving

This case is shining a light on the roles—and the gaps—in Connecticut’s system for supervising professional conservators who work in different courts. Exner still has a contract to handle probate matters statewide, but some judges, including Gettinger, have decided not to appoint her to new cases while things are unresolved.

The probate administration points out it can’t discipline conservators directly; it can only end a contract if there’s a breach of Conservator Standards of Practice. This setup has people wondering if Connecticut needs better oversight to catch conflicts of interest before they cause harm, not just after.

Key players and perspectives

Critics and advocates around the state have weighed in. Damon Kirschbaum, an attorney who works probate cases, says Exner’s actions highlight bigger risks in statewide conservatorship work.

Long Term Care Ombudsman Mairead Painter chimed in, saying this case might show information-sharing gaps among professional conservators working from Hartford to New Haven and Bridgeport.

The case has touched towns like Milford, Stamford, Norwalk, Waterbury, Danbury, and Greenwich. Residents and local officials across Connecticut are paying close attention.

People are really asking: are conflicts of interest spotted soon enough to protect vulnerable probate clients in Hartford, New Britain, and elsewhere?

What this means for residents across Connecticut

For communities from Milford to Danbury, this case is a reminder that probate and conservatorship can impact homeowners and seniors in everyday life. The grievance panel’s next move—whether they dismiss the referral or go to a public hearing—will definitely affect public trust in the system and could lead to policy changes in places like Bridgeport, Stamford, and Norwalk.

As Connecticut courts and agencies wait for what’s next, people are watching to see how the Bar Counsel’s review and any discipline might change how professional conservators work statewide. That includes merging jurisdictions like Old Saybrook and Glastonbury, where probate issues are just part of daily life for a lot of families.

Looking ahead

Connecticut communities should keep an eye out as the grievance panel wraps up its evaluation. No one knows yet if the outcome will bring tougher standards or maybe wider oversight.

Still, this case is already sparking conversations about protecting conservatee interests. Folks in towns like Milford, Hartford, Bridgeport, Stamford, New Haven, Norwalk, Waterbury, and Danbury are all paying attention.

Here is the source article for this story: Connecticut fiduciary under investigation over home sales

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