The Hon. Michael R. Sheldon is a judge trial referee for the Connecticut Appellate Court. Sheldon was appointed to the bench by former Governor Dan Malloy on October 20, 2011. He retired on April 1, 2019.
Prior to his appointment, Sheldon was a judge for the Hartford Judicial District Superior Court, a position to which he was named in 1991. Before that, he spent time as a professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law (1976 to 1991). In that capacity, he sat as the Director of the Criminal Clinic, teaching courses in criminal law and procedure.
Sheldon earned a bachelor’s degree in public and international affairs and Russian studies from Princeton University in 1971. He then completed a J.D. at Yale Law School in 1974. After graduating from law school, Sheldon participated in the E. Barrett Prettyman Legal Internship Program at the Georgetown University Law Center.
His memberships have included the Connecticut-Pskov Rule of Law Partnership and the Board of Directors of Community Partners in Action.
He is a recipient of the Henry J. Naruk Judiciary Award from the Connecticut Bar Association (2009) and the Distinguished Friend of Education Award from the Connecticut Association of Schools (2009).
Sheldon was born and raised in Schenectady, New York. He and his wife, Diane, have four children.