Justice William J. Sullivan is presently a Judge Trial Referee of the Connecticut Superior Court. He formerly served as Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court

Connecticut Supreme Court

The Connecticut Supreme Court, formerly known as the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors, is the highest court in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices. The seven justices sit in Hartford, across the street from the Connecticut State Capitol...

. He was appointed to the Connecticut Appellate Court by Gov. John G. Rowland

John G. Rowland

John Grosvenor Rowland was the 86th Governor of Connecticut from 1995 to 2004; he is a member of the Republican Party. He is married to Patty Rowland, his second wife, and the couple have five children between them...

 in 1997 and remained there until his elevation to the Connecticut Supreme Court in 1999. Justice Sullivan was nominated to be Chief Justice

Chief Justice

The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...

 by Gov. Rowland in 2000 and was appointed to the Connecticut Supreme Court in 2001. Justice Sullivan took senior status on April 15, 2006 and continued to serve as a Senior Justice until 2009, when he attained Age 70.

Justice Sullivan is a much-decorated veteran, serving in the Vietnam War

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

 and attaining the rank of captain in the United States Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

. During his service he was awarded the Air Medal

Air Medal

The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States. The award was created in 1942, and is awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight.-Criteria:...

 and various campaign ribbons and received two Bronze Stars for merit.

The court became embroiled in a lengthy ethics scandal in 2006 when it was revealed that retiring Chief Justice Sullivan postponed the publication of a controversial decision opposing Freedom of Information Act

Freedom of information in the United States

Freedom of information in the United States refers to the independent bodies of Freedom of information legislation at the federal level and in the fifty states.-Federal level:...

 requests for documents that track the status and history of legal cases in the Connecticut legal system until hearings for his nominated successor Justice Peter T. Zarella

Peter T. Zarella

Peter T. Zarella is an Associate Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court . He was appointed by former Governor John G. Rowland in January 2001. Zarella is the former chair of the Connecticut Criminal Justice Commission and the current chair of the Rules Committee which has responsibility for...

 were completed. Legislators speculated that Sullivan delayed the publication of the court's opinion because he feared it might damage Zarella's chances of becoming Chief Justice. Both justices ruled in favor of the restrictions. Governor M. Jodi Rell

M. Jodi Rell

Mary Jodi Rell is a Republican politician and was the 87th Governor of the U.S. state of Connecticut from 2004 until 2011. She was the Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut under Governor John G. Rowland, who resigned during a corruption investigation. Rell is Connecticut's second female Governor,...

accepted the withdrawal of Zarella's nomination to be Chief Justice. After Sullivan's actions were reported, Sullivan was referred to the Judicial Review Council, which suspended him for violating judicial ethics rules. This suspension is presently being appealed. During a judiciary committee hearing in which Sullivan was questioned, he apologized for his actions.

Justice Sullivan remains active as a Judge Trial Referee, sitting regularly with the Appellate Court.