Connecticut Civil Court Records

The courts in Connecticut are one of the three government branches known as the Judicial Branch. In many ways, it is up to the courts to explain and uphold Connecticut laws. They settle personal or civil rights disagreements and explain how the Constitution applies to rules.

The Superior Court hears the vast majority of legal issues in the state, except those over which the Probate Court has exclusive jurisdiction.

The Superior Court is a trial court comprised of four significant divisions. It contains the Civil Division, the Family Division, the Housing Division, and the Criminal Division. Mainly, the Civil Division considers matters in which the parties seek to safeguard their personal, civil, and property rights.

Connecticut's highest court is the Supreme Court. As it is not a trial court, it does not accept evidence or hear witness testimony. The primary role of the Supreme Court is to examine all decisions issued by the Superior Court and identify judicial mistakes. It sometimes reviews Appellate Court judgments to ensure the accurate application of the law.

Are Connecticut Civil Court Records open to the public? The Connecticut Freedom of Information Act claims that the public can access all government records unless sealed. You can access local or state government documents as long as they contain public information.

People and businesses that filed for bankruptcy in Connecticut have documents and reports in the Connecticut Bankruptcy Records. The bankruptcy process lets people get rid of their debts and start over. During these proceedings, the bankruptcy court usually gets all the information it needs about the petitioner's finances.

The U.S. Bankruptcy Court is in charge of bankruptcy cases in Connecticut on a federal level. Depending on their eligibility, debtors may petition for one of many forms of bankruptcy in the state. This category mainly includes Chapter 7, Chapter 11, and Chapter 13. If you want a repayment plan rather than liquidating your assets, you can petition for  Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

You must first go to a credit counseling session to file for bankruptcy. After that, you must send in the bankruptcy petition and the certificate of credit counseling.

After filing a bankruptcy case in the state, it will become part of the Connecticut Bankruptcy Record. Talk to the correct court clerk to see unsealed bankruptcy records filed in Connecticut. There is just one U.S. bankruptcy court in Connecticut, but there are branches in Hartford, Bridgeport, and New Haven.

Alternatively, you can use Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) or visit the National Archives Records Administration (NARA) to look up these records.

Generally, the material included in a bankruptcy record differs by case type. Nonetheless, a Connecticut Bankruptcy Record often consists of the following information:

• The petitioner's name
• Date of filing
• Bankruptcy type
• Case status
• Date of the bankruptcy's conclusion
• Creditor information, including credit agency name and address
• Assets
• The bankruptcy court presiding over the matter
• The reference number

A property lien is part of the Connecticut Civil Court Records. It's a legal claim on the property that can pay off debt.

With this lien, the creditor can take the debtor's property if the debtor is not paying. A lien on a property tells other people that the owner owes money. Most of the time, real estate has property liens, but they can also be present in other assets.

The most prevalent Connecticut Property Lien Records in the state are the following:

Tax Lien

A tax lien in Connecticut is a legal claim put on a real property when the owner fails to pay a tax payment. A tax lien protects the government's interest in all assets like financial and personal property.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which issues federal tax liens, determines the taxpayer's tax burden and then delivers a payment demand notice.

Judgment Lien

A Connecticut judgment lien is a civil right granted to creditors who may seize real property from a debtor upon a breach of contract. The creditor can put this lien on a debtor's property, such as a house, farm, apartment, or personal property, like artworks, jewelry, and other assets.

Mechanic's Lien

In Connecticut, mechanic's liens are legal instruments that enable underpaid skilled workers to recover reimbursement for construction-related services provided. Mostly, unpaid suppliers, contractors, or equipment lessors create this type of lien.

Mortgage Lien

A mortgage lien in Connecticut is a financial claim on a property that serves as a mortgage's physical security. In case of a default, the lien enables the lender to seize property and sell it at auction to recover the loan.

How To Check Connecticut Liens?

If you want to check for Connecticut Property Lien Records, you can go to any government agency that keeps them.

If you live in a town like Windsor, you can visit the Windsor Town Clerk's Office to discover whether a property is liable to a lien.

Also, the office of the Plainville Town Clerk keeps a computerized index of property records in the town that goes back to 1989.

Lastly, you can find out about liens in all of Connecticut's counties by visiting the county clerk's office.

Connecticut Civil Driving Violation Records are traffic infractions with minor charges. Some common examples of these records are driving too fast, not stopping at a red light, and not having proof of insurance.

In Connecticut, people who break the state road rules get tickets from the police. For minor violations like traffic infractions, the fines are usually between $50 and $300 and have no points on the traffic record. You may also attend driver retraining or other rehabilitation programs.

Suppose a person ticketed for a minor traffic infraction fails to pay the fine within the allotted period. In that case, they may be subject to a harsher penalty as it becomes a criminal offense.

In addition, if an offender fails to appear in court for a minor traffic infraction, their license may be suspended until the settlement of the issues or penalties.

How To Look Up Connecticut Civil Driving Violation Records?

First, visit the official website of the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). You can find everything you need about traffic violations on this site, such as codes and sanctions.

You can also visit the Connecticut Judicial Branch website or phone the Traffic Division of the Superior Court, where you can search for Connecticut traffic tickets online.

To look up these records online, you must supply them with the necessary information like name, date of birth, and driver's license number. If you lack this information, you can still look for your ticket using the case or citation number.

The Connecticut Judicial Branch writes down how every case ends so that the public can see and use it as evidence.

Most of Connecticut's judgment laws are in the General Statutes, especially Title 50a (International Law) and Title 52 (Civil Actions). Also, the judgments in Connecticut follow the rules in the Connecticut Practice Book, such as Chapters 17 and 24.

Connecticut Legal Judgment Records, also called "judgment files or records," typically have the following information:

• The parties' names and addresses
• Related filings and events
• The presiding judge and court
• The total award (like court costs and interest)
• The judgment date

The Connecticut courts keep records of their judgments to make the judicial system more open. Because of this, the Judicial Branch has set up electronic record access platforms so you can look for judgment records.

The Superior Court Case Look-up system is where you can start your search for Connecticut Legal Judgment Records. You can find family, civil, small claims, and housing judgments on the platform.

Any judgment made in a civil court in Connecticut is in the official case file. The law dictates that these records are permanent and are not subject to state expungement like criminal records. Thus, a judgment, whether fulfilled or unsatisfied, remains in a court file forever or until deleted under the state court procedures.

Small claims are a part of Connecticut Civil Court Records in a Civil Division of the state Superior Court. Small Claims Courts have limited authority over civil actions involving $5,000 or less in monetary damages.

In rare cases, the court may impose financial damages over $5000. Such an instance is when the court awards double or cost-based damages in a security deposit case.

Generally, Connecticut Small Claims Courts have the authority to hear and rule on the following matters:

• A verbal or written contract
• Back rent
• Damaged property
• Hospital expenses for medical care
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Restitution of the security deposit
• Unpaid claims

For a case to go to the Small Claims Courts, you must file with the court closest to your residence and fill out the Small Claims Writ and Notice of Suit form.

When taking legal action against a business, you must know if the business is a company, a partnership, a corporation, or a limited liability company. Call the Secretary of the State or visit their office to find out this information.

After filing, the information provided in the petition will be part of the Connecticut Small Claims Records. Most of the time, the court clerks in Connecticut's judicial districts keep and distribute these court records.

Through the Centralized Small Claims Case Lookup, you can find small claims cases filed with Centralized Small Claims before September 1, 2017. You can use the Superior Court Small Claims Case Look-up for cases filed after the abovementioned date. To search, you will need the name of a party or the docket number.

You can examine party names, monetary amounts, and disposition details in this public record. In addition, Section 36a-695 of the Connecticut General Statutes states that judgments against defendants always appear on credit reports.

Generally, you have to wait at least 90 days before you can get a divorce in Connecticut. You can petition for divorce in the state before 12 months of residence, but the court will only finalize the divorce after 12 months.

The information will become part of the Connecticut Divorce Court Record upon filing. This record contains all documentation about the dissolution of a marriage, and it can be mainly in the form of:

Divorce Decree

In Connecticut, a divorce decree affirms the dissolution of a marriage and specifies the terms of the settlement. Apart from basic information such as parties involved in the divorce and the official divorce date and location, this document covers each party's rights and obligations and the conditions for:

• Alimony
• Child support
• Division of assets
• Visitation and parental rights

You can use the Superior Court Case Lookup tool to search accessible divorce decree records. In this search, you must give the case's official name and docket number.

Divorce Record

Connecticut divorce record is the complete collection of documents reflecting the dissolution of a marriage in the state. Apart from all the information in the divorce decree. It has every file and report related to the divorce, including those presented during the procedures.

Connecticut maintains an online database of divorces that have taken place inside the state. It is especially beneficial for researching family history documents and genealogy. Additionally, it might assist in determining the location of a divorce. You can search and view the divorce records in this database, but you cannot download or print them.

Note that you can't seek and get certified copies of Connecticut Divorce Court Records unless you are the following:

• Individuals identified in Connecticut Divorce Court Records
• Parents or legal guardians of the parties to a divorce
• Children of the parties identified in the divorce papers
• Attorneys for the divorcing parties

To request a copy of a record, you must contact the Connecticut Superior Court, where the final divorce concluded.

Connecticut Probate Court protects people's rights and ensures the most defenseless residents and their families get care, safety, and community-based solutions when needed. Most of the time, they are in public buildings like city and town halls. There are 54 Probate Court districts and 6 Regional Children's Probate Courts in Connecticut.

Probate Courts in Connecticut oversee the estates and trusts of people who have died. They also deal with a wide range of sensitive issues that affect children, the elderly, people with intellectual disabilities, and people with psychiatric disabilities.

In Connecticut Probate Court Records, you can generally find information about property ownership and values, family relationships, and descriptions of land and buildings. And the documents in the state probate records typically include the following:

• Wills
• Probate or administration petitions
• Bonds
• Inventories and accounts
• Support, dower, distribution, or division petitions

You can find information about a probate matter in the state through the Connecticut Probate Court official website.

In addition, you can consult the Probate Court Finding Aids or the Probate Estate Papers Index to learn more about these probate records. The finding aids will tell you which Connecticut city or town's probate court to go to and what probate materials are available.

Generally, to look up Connecticut Civil Court Records, you must first identify the court that maintains them. In addition, you must possess the necessary information to conduct a search utilizing the system created by the Connecticut Judicial Branch.

The Connecticut Judicial Branch's web system is a public service to make it easier to locate Supreme Court, Probate Court, and Appellate Court case documents filed after January 1, 1991. However, per Connecticut legislation, case information about juvenile delinquents may not be available on this search page. It may also not publish identifiable information about persons.

Here's how you can access Supreme Court and Appellate Court documents online:

• Case Name Search
• Party Name Search
• Docket Number Search
• Juris Number Search

Any civil court cases in Connecticut that you cannot access online will be available in the local courthouses where the filing or hearing occurred.