Lyme — The Lyme Democratic Town Committee announced Wednesday that it would recommend Jeannine Lewis, an attorney at the law firm Hudson and Kilby in Centerbrook, as its preferred Democratic candidate for the soon-to-be-vacant position of District 33 Probate Court judge.

Terrance Lomme, the current probate judge for the district that serves Chester, Clinton, Deep River, Essex, Haddam, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Saybrook and Westbrook, is retiring on July 18.

Lewis, along with three other Democratic candidates, addressed the Lyme DTC at its June meeting. 

“In our opinion, Lewis demonstrated she had extensive experience in probate law, a thorough understanding of the issues and responsibilities, and a personal commitment to helping protect some of the most vulnerable members of our community," Lyme DTC Chairman John Kiker said in a statement.

In addition to running a law practice focused on probate matters, estate planning and elder law, Lewis serves on the Continuing Legal Education Committee of the Connecticut Bar Association’s Elder Law Section, and on the Integrity of the Practice/Pro Bono Committee of the CBA’s Estates and Probate Section. She is a board member of the Shoreline Soup Kitchens and Pantries and provides pro bono legal counsel to Sister Cities Essex Haiti, a local charity that helps residents of the town of Deschapelles, Haiti.

The official Democratic candidate will be determined later this summer at a nominating convention attended by representatives from all the DTCs within District 33. The candidate selected at the nominating convention will face Republican and other candidates in the Nov. 7 special election. Whoever wins the election will serve the remainder of Judge Lomme's term, which ends Jan. 9, 2019.

The Lyme DTC meets at 7:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of every month in the Lyme Town Hall.