Exhibit 5

November 4, 2002


The Board of Directors
Patriot National Bancorp, Inc.
900 Bedford Street
Stamford, CT  06901

Re:      Patriot National Bank - Registration Statement on Form S-3

Dear Sirs:

We have acted as counsel for Patriot National Bancorp, Inc., a Connecticut
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the potential offer and sale by
or on behalf of Angelo De Caro of up to 193,000 shares (the "Shares") of the
Company's Common Stock, par value $2.00 per share (the "Common Stock"), as more
particularly described in the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3 to be
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the
"Registration Statement").

We have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our
satisfaction, of such agreements, documents, certificates and other statements
of government officials and corporate officers and representatives and such
other documents as we have deemed relevant and necessary as a basis for the
opinions expressed herein, including the following: (a) the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation in the form filed as Exhibit 3(i) to the Company's
Current Report on Form 8-K dated December 1, 1999; (b) the Company's By-laws in
the form filed as Exhibit 3(ii) to the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K
dated December 1, 1999; (c) the Registration Statement; (d) the Notice of Annual
Meeting of Shareholders and Proxy Statement dated April 28, 2000; (e)
resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company at a meeting held
on April 27, 2000; and (f) the letter dated August 8, 2000




The Board of Directors
Patriot National Bancorp, Inc.             -2-                  November 4, 2002

from the Company to Registrar and Transfer Company with respect to the issuance
of the Shares.

In our examination of the foregoing agreements, instruments, certificates and
other documents, we have assumed that: (a) the statements made therein are
accurate and complete; (b) the signatures on documents and instruments submitted
to us as originals are authentic; and (c) documents submitted to us as copies of
original documents conform with the originals thereof. We have been advised by
the Company that the Company received in cash the full amount of the purchase
price for each of the Shares.

Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly
authorized for issuance and sale, have been validly issued and are fully paid
and nonassessable.

No opinion is expressed herein other than under the laws of the State of
Connecticut.

We hereby consent to the use of our name under the caption "Legality" in the
Prospectus included in the Registration Statement and to the filing of this
opinion as Exhibit 5 thereto.

Very truly yours,

CUMMINGS & LOCKWOOD LLC


By      /s/ PAUL G. HUGHES
   ----------------------------
         Paul G. Hughes
         Authorized Member