Rep. Gerry Fox of Stamford, powerful co-chairman of the legislative Judiciary Committee, to run for local Probate judge

Fifth-term Rep. Gerald M. Fox III, D-Stamford, co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee, will not run for re-election this fall. Tonight he expects to get the nomination to run for Stamford Probate judge. The 47-year-old lawyer said it has been an honor chairing the committee. “It was a hard choice to make,” Fox just said in a phone interview. It’ll give him a chance to spend more time with his kids, ages 12 and 8. It goes without saying there’s a lot more in his life he can do besides the hour and 40-minute ride to Hartford. “It’s something I’ll definitely miss,” he said. “There were some enjoyable moments.” Among the major issues that faced him as chairman was the tough decision this spring to support the state Claims Commissioner’s rejection of a request by Charla Nash to be able to sue the state over the 2009 chimp attack that nearly killed her.