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December 29, 2000 CHRISTINE HAYER REPASY
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT,
GENERAL COUNSEL &
CORPORATE SECRETARY
Board of Directors
Hartford Life and Annuity Insurance Company
200 Hopmeadow Street
Simsbury, CT 06089
RE: HARTFORD LIFE AND ANNUITY INSURANCE COMPANY SEPARATE ACCOUNT THREE
FILE NO. 333-52707
Dear Sir/Madam:
I have acted as General Counsel to Hartford Life and Annuity Insurance Company
(the "Company"), a Connecticut insurance company, and Hartford Life and Annuity
Insurance Company Separate Account Three (the "Account") in connection with the
registration of an indefinite amount of securities in the form of tax-deferred
variable annuity contracts (the "Contracts") with the Securities and Exchange
Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. I have examined such
documents (including the Form N-4 Registration Statement) and reviewed such
questions of law as I considered necessary and appropriate, and on the basis of
such examination and review, it is my opinion that:
1. The Company is a corporation duly organized and validly existing as a stock
life insurance company under the laws of the State of Connecticut and is duly
authorized by the Insurance Department of the State of Connecticut to issue
the Contracts.
2. The Account is a duly authorized and validly existing separate account
established pursuant to the provisions of Section 38a-433 of the Connecticut
Statutes.
3. To the extent so provided under the Contracts, that portion of the assets of
the Account equal to the reserves and other contract liabilities with respect
to the Account will not be chargeable with liabilities arising out of any
other business that the Company may conduct.
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Board of Directors
Hartford Life and Annuity Insurance Company
December 29, 2000
Page 2
4. The Contracts, when issued as contemplated by the Form N-4 Registration
Statement, will constitute legal, validly issued and binding obligations of
the Company.
I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Form N-4
Registration Statement for the Contracts and the Account.
Sincerely,
/s/ Christine Hayer Repasy
Christine Hayer Repasy
