What are Connecticut Family Court Records?

Connecticut family court records are legal documents detailing the litigation processes of family courts within the jurisdiction of the state, specifically within the court's jurisdiction. They are a subcategory of Connecticut court records that provide accounts of family-related case hearings and are primarily generated and disseminated by the record custodians of various judicial districts. The information in these records includes details of court actions, orders, and court motions, as well as final verdicts and court-issued decrees. This comprehensive information aims to ensure transparency and reliability for users seeking access. Under Connecticut state public access laws, most court records may be available to interested and eligible persons upon request. However, to obtain a record, the requesting party may be required to meet some eligibility requirements depending on the confidentiality of the record of interest and the record custodian.

What Cases Are Heard by Connecticut Family Courts?

Connecticut's family courts function as divisions under Connecticut's superior courts and probate courts. While the probate courts attend to some aspects of family law, Connecticut's superior courts are the state's trial court of general jurisdiction and operate the family division where most court cases proceed. Generally, the cases heard by family courts include issues:

• Marriage, divorce, annulment, and other forms of legal separation of family units
• Adoption, child custody, guardianship, paternity, and termination of parental rights
• Child and spousal support
• Domestic abuse and negligence
• Juvenile delinquency
  • While criminal courts handle most criminal cases, certain aspects of criminal behavior, such as domestic violence, may be addressed within family court proceedings.
• Division of property, will fulfillment, and disputes about a financial trust.

The judicial system of Connecticut comprises four courts of varying authorities. These include the Supreme, Appellate, Superior, and Probate Courts. Since Connecticut's superior courts are the state's trial court of general jurisdiction, most family-related cases begin in the superior court. However, selected cases may proceed in the state's district courts. As such, family court records are generated and maintained by the court clerks of district courts and superior courts across the state. However, where the case is appealed at the appellate or supreme court, then the record of that case is updated and maintained by the administrative division of the appellate court.

What is Included in Connecticut Family Court Records?

Connecticut family court records are developed to provide details of court proceedings of civil suits tried in the state's family courts. However, most records are unique to each case, and their contents vary depending on the record custodian. Generally, most family court records contain information regarding the suit, dispute, or complaint, the personal information of the parties involved, and other relevant details of court proceedings, such as court motions and orders, evidence filed, and trial transcripts.

Most records also include details of the court's final verdict or decree, including any conditions for court-approved privileges such as adoption, child custody, and visitation. In many cases, details of financial settlements, agreements, or entitlements are also included. Examples of these include details of spousal support or alimony, child support, and various forms of financial compensation. Where either of the parties is held in contempt during the court proceeding, the records might also include any court-ascribed penalties, including jail terms, community service sentences, and fines.

Family Court Records can include Connecticut marriage records and Connecticut divorce records. These records contain personal information of those involved and may not be available through government sources or third party public record websites.

Are Family Court Records Public in Connecticut?

According to the provisions of Connecticut public records access laws, members of the public may access public family court records upon request. However, the right of public access is not absolute, as some restrictions are placed on records deemed confidential by law or those sealed by court order. Essentially, while general case information is open (unless closed by the judge), access to the following information is often restricted:

• The personal information of minors
• Identities of sexual assault victims and victims of other forms of assault
• Most information pertaining to adoption, child custody/support, paternity, guardianship, and minor emancipation cases.
• All forms of financial information and estate evaluations made in divorce or spousal support cases
• Records filed by child protective services
• Details of mental health and psychological evaluations made on the plaintiff/defendant
• Records of cases or charges that have been dismissed

In order to access confidential information, the requesting party will be required to obtain authorization via court order or subpoena. Following these restrictions, record repositories that are publicly accessible do not contain confidential information. As such, requests for confidential information may only be made in person at the office of the court clerk of the courthouse where the case was filed/heard.

How Do I Get Family Court Records in Connecticut?

Most records are accessible using state-operated or privately owned online repositories providing access to public records. However, access to confidential and/or certified copies of court records often requires that the requester make an in-person or mail-in request to the record custodian. Members of the public may view and/or obtain copies of Connecticut family court records by:

• Using state-managed public-access online resources
• Making in-person queries to the record custodian
• Sending mail-in requests to the courthouse where the case was filed/heard

How to Obtain Connecticut Family Court Records Online

The state of Connecticut provides various online resources through which interested persons may view/obtain court records. While most state judicial districts provide public access to their individual resources, the state maintains two primary central repositories for family court records. These include the Appellate/Supreme Case Look-up and the Superior Court Case Look-up (SCCL) tool.

While the SCCL grants access to records of cases heard in the state's civil and family courts, the ACL serves as an online repository for records of court cases heard by the state appellate courts.

Interested persons must use the search tools provided to obtain family court records using either of these resources. On the SCCL portal, family court record searches may be conducted by the names of the parties involved, the docket number of the record, or the attorney number of either of the legal counsels. Searching by case number is often the most efficient way to locate a specific case.

Accessing the Supreme and Appellate Court Case Look-up involves searching for family court records by case name, appellate docket number, trial court docket number, or by the parties involved. Upon retrieving the desired record, users may verify the information on the website against official, authenticated court records. However, given the restrictions placed on retrieving court records online, the records available through remotely accessible sources are limited.

Additionally, publicly available records are accessible from some third-party websites. These websites offer the benefit of not being limited by geographical record availability and can often serve as a starting point when researching specific or multiple records. To find a record using the search engines on these sites, interested parties must provide:

• The name of someone involved, provided it is not a juvenile
• The assumed location of the record in question, such as a city, county, or state name

Third-party sites are not government-sponsored websites; record availability may differ from official channels.

Both government websites and organizations may offer divorce and marriage records. Similarly, third-party public record websites can also provide these types of records. However, because third-party organizations are not operated or sponsored by the government, record availability may vary. Further, marriage and divorce records are considered highly private and are often sealed, meaning the availability of these types of records cannot be guaranteed.

How to Make In-Person Requests for Connecticut Family Records

Where the requester requires confidential, sealed, or full court case information, a request may be made in person to the office of the clerk of courts where the action was filed. To obtain Connecticut family court records in person, the attorney or requesting party must proceed thus:

Locate The Record Custodian

The Connecticut Supreme, Appellate, and Superior courts maintain local repositories of court records of family court cases filed within their jurisdiction. However, to make in-person requests to the record custodian, interested persons must locate the courthouses where the actions were filed or the case heard. The relevant courthouse or record custodian can be located by referencing the court's official directory or website. Generally, the location of a family court record depends on the most current status of the case. Recently filed cases are usually managed by the Superior courts in various jurisdictions. However, where an appeal has been made, the record will likely be housed by the administrative unit of the appellate court where the appeal was filed/heard.

Make the Request

Once the location of a court record has been established, the requesting party should contact the office of the custodian for information regarding the court's record retrieval process and requirements. In addition to these requirements, most requesters will be required to schedule a visit to the courthouse beforehand. It is likely that the requester will also be required to prepare a written request indicating the required record, as well as any relevant information. However, some custodians provide the requester with a record request form, which should be completed and notarized before the request is made.

Provide any Additional Information Required

In the state of Connecticut, requestors are required to provide all the information required to facilitate a record search. This typically includes the full names of the parties involved, the case file number of the record, and details of the case filing. In addition to the above, requestors may also be required to present government-issued IDs and pay nominal search/copy fees before accessing the desired records. A fee is typically charged for each record search or copy request. However, in-person record requests are typically processed on a same-day basis.

Are Child Custody Records Public in Connecticut?

Under state rules and the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), many family court records, including those related to child custody, are accessible to the public. Interested individuals can request records from the clerk of the Superior Court in the jurisdiction where the case was filed or use the Superior Court Case Look-up (SCCL) or Appellate/Supreme Court Case Look-up online tools.

However, access to child custody records is not absolute. The court generally withholds or redacts sensitive information, especially if it concerns minors. Records or components often withheld include:

• Personal information about minors (e.g., names, identifiers)
• Details of child custody/support, adoption, paternity, guardianship, or emancipation
• Financial and estate details in divorce or support cases
• Records filed by Child Protective Services
• Mental health or psychological evaluations

Access to such confidential components typically requires a court order or subpoena.

Requesting Connecticut Family Court Records by Mail

Connecticut family court records can be obtained by submitting mail-in requests to court clerks. To get these records via mail, requestors must submit written requests containing the information needed to find those records. These include the full names of the parties involved and where and when the case was filed and/or concluded.

In many cases, Connecticut court record custodians provide record request forms. Instructions are typically included with these forms to guide requestors through the process. Requestors must complete these written requests and include:

• Their government-issued photo IDs.
• Self-addressed stamped envelopes.
• Payments in the form of checks or money orders.

Before making a request, contacting the courthouse for information regarding the procedure and fees required is best.

How Do I Access Divorce Court Records in Connecticut?

All divorce records, including final decrees as well as records of dissolution of civil unions, are maintained by the clerks of court in the Superior courts where the divorces were filed. Find the address and contact information of the court clerk's office using the Directory of Connecticut Superior Courts. Connecticut Superior Court clerks accept requests for divorce records in person or via mail. In many cases, the requesting party must provide information regarding the divorce, including the date and place the suit was filed, the names of the parties involved, and the record's case file or docket number. Requestors will also be charged nominal fees to cover search/copy costs.