Duties and powers of Chief Court Administrator

(a) The Chief Court Administrator: (1) Shall be the administrative director of the Judicial Department and shall be responsible for the efficient operation of the department, the prompt disposition of cases and the prompt and proper administration of judicial business; (2) shall meet periodically at such places and times as the Chief Court Administrator may designate with any judge, judges or committee of judges, and with the Probate Court Administrator to transact such business as is necessary to ensure the efficient administration of the Judicial Department; (3) may issue such orders, require such reports and appoint other judges to such positions to perform such duties, as the Chief Court Administrator deems necessary to carry out his or her responsibilities; (4) may assign, reassign and modify assignments of the judges of the Superior Court to any division or part of the Superior Court and may order the transfer of actions under sections 51-347a and 51-347b; (5) may provide for the convening of conferences of the judges of the several courts, or any of them, and of such members of the bar as the Chief Court Administrator may determine, for the consideration of matters relating to judicial business, the improvement of the judicial system and the effective administration of justice in this state; and (6) may take any action necessary in the event of a major disaster, emergency, civil preparedness emergency or disaster emergency, as those terms are defined in section 28-1, or a public health emergency, as defined in section 19a-131, to ensure the continued efficient operation of the Supreme, Appellate and Superior Courts, the prompt disposition of cases and the proper administration of judicial business, which necessary action may include: (A) Establishing alternative locations to conduct judicial business in the event that one or more court locations cannot be used, (B) suspending any judicial business that is deemed not essential by the Chief Court Administrator, and (C) taking any other appropriate action necessary to ensure that essential judicial business is effectively handled by the courts. (b) The Chief Court Administrator may establish reasonable fees for conducting searches of court records. No federal, state or municipal agency shall be required to pay any such fee.