VAIL, CO (May 16, 2014) — Patrick J. Connaghan, probate commissioner for the 22nd Judicial Circuit of Missouri, received the Judge Isabella Horton Grant Guardianship Award during the Spring Conference of the National College of Probate Judges (NCPJ) at the Four Seasons Hotel here today.
Known as “The Isabella,” the award was established to honor the memory of the late Judge Isabella Grant, a prominent and innovative probate judge from San Francisco, CA. The award is sponsored by The Rutter Group of California and administered by NCPJ. It recognizes and encourages achievements in the field of guardianships of minors and adults. The Award is $1000, and funds are provided for the recipient to attend the Spring Conference.
The award recognizes achievements that may include a variety of activities, such as:
- Innovative programs leading to improvements in guardianship laws;
- Articles, treatises, books or other publications of unusual quality and impact on guardianship issues;
- Leadership roles or other activities in organizations that have led to significant improvements in the laws, administration, or practices in the guardianship field.
As probate commissioner, Connaghan supervises all aspects of decedent and guardianship estates as well as all mental health civil commitment proceedings. He is president of the Missouri Association of Probate and Associate Circuit Judges and serves as chairman of the Association’s Mental Health Committee.
Prior to his appointment as Probate Commissioner he served for 12 years as General Counsel for the St. Louis City Board of Aldermen. He is a 2009 Science and Technology Fellow for The Advanced Science and Technology Adjudication Resource Center (ASTAR) in Washington D.C. Commissioner Connaghan received his B.A. from Cardinal Glennon College and his J.D. from Saint Louis University Law School.