Litchfield County Court Records

Litchfield County court records are official documents created during legal proceedings and the adjudication of cases in Litchfield County courts. They contain information on court cases, including judgments, filings, motions, orders, transcripts, trial evidence, and affidavits. These records are typically available in paper and/or digital formats.

Individuals can access Connecticut court records for research, case tracking, legal reference, and case outcome information. These records also exist to promote accountability and transparency in the local judicial system.

Are Court Records Public in Litchfield County?

Yes. Litchfield County court records are public records under the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Per this law, individuals can inspect or obtain copies of court records for all cases handled in Litchfield County by submitting a request to the record custodian.

However, not all court records are subject to public disclosure. For instance, court records of juvenile cases are confidential (only the victim of the crime committed by the minor can access the specific juvenile case record per C.G.S. 46B-124).

Other records not subject to public disclosure include petitions, adoption records, sensitive law enforcement information that may compromise a person’s safety or put them in danger, any information or records that would infringe on a person’s privacy, medical records of case parties, and sealed court records.

Litchfield County Court Records Search

Generally, the following are the options for individuals to conduct Litchfield County court records searches:

• Online search on Connecticut Judicial Branch Case Lookup databases
• In-person search at the courthouse where the case was adjudicated
• Mail or phone requests to the courthouse where the case was handled
• Search on third-party aggregate websites.

Litchfield County Court Records Search by Name

To search Litchfield County court records by name, use the Connecticut Judicial Branch Case Lookup website. On this site, users can conduct Superior Court Case Lookups for civil, family, small claims, and criminal cases adjudicated in the Litchfield County Superior Court. Searches can be performed using party names for civil cases or defendant names for criminal cases. To facilitate faster record retrieval, filters such as location, case type, case category, and name search type can be applied. The Superior Court Case Lookup portal is a free public service tool for searching Litchfield County court records.

Alternatively, individuals can contact the clerk's office at the Litchfield County courthouse where a case was adjudicated to conduct name-based searches.

Litchfield County Courts

Litchfield County's judicial system includes a Superior Court and Probate Courts. The Superior Court handles all matters, while the Probate Court hears wills, trusts, and estate matters. Both courts share jurisdiction over custody, adoptions, paternity, and mental health matters. Contact information for these courts is listed below.

Litchfield County Superior Court
Geographical Area 18
Litchfield Judicial District Courthouse
50 Field Street
Torrington, CT 06790
Phone: (860) 626-2301
Phone: (860) 626-2100 - Judicial District Court

Housatonic Probate Court
47 Bridge Street
New Milford, CT 06776
Phone: (860) 355-6029
Fax: (860) 355-6024

Litchfield Hills Probate Court - Litchfield
Town Hall
74 West Street
Litchfield, CT 06759
Phone: (860) 567-8065
Fax: (860) 567-2538

Litchfield Hills Probate Court - North Canaan
Town Hall
100 Pease Street
North Canaan, CT 06018
Phone: (860) 824-7012
Fax: (860) 824-7428

Litchfield Hills Probate Court - Kent
Town Hall
41 Kent Green
Kent, CT 06757
Phone: (860) 927-3729

Litchfield County Superior Court Case Search

The Litchfield County Superior Court is a court of general jurisdiction. It adjudicates a wide range of cases, including criminal cases (e.g., felonies, misdemeanors), civil matters (e.g., lawsuits, contract disputes, small claims), family cases (e.g., divorces, child custody), and juvenile cases. The Clerk of the Court is the custodian of records for cases handled in this court.

To search for and look up Litchfield County Superior Court case records, interested individuals should use the Superior Court Case Look-up portal to conduct name-based, docket number-based, or attorney number-based searches for all civil, family, and small claims cases handled in the superior court. Additionally, they should use the state judiciary’s Criminal Case Look-Up portal to search by defendant's name, court location, and docket number for all criminal cases adjudicated in the Litchfield County Superior Court.

Alternatively, interested individuals may contact the clerk of the Litchfield County Superior Court to access or obtain records of cases handled in the court.

Chief Clerk's Office
Litchfield Judicial District Courthouse
50 Field Street
Torrington, CT 06790
Phone: (860) 626-2100

Litchfield County District Court Records

Litchfield County does not have a district court. The county only has two court types: the Superior Court, which handles all civil, criminal, family, and juvenile cases, and probate courts in different districts. Records of cases handled in these courts can be requested from the clerk of the specific courthouse where the case was filed or heard.

Litchfield County Criminal Records

Litchfield County criminal records, including arrest and inmate records, are publicly available to interested parties. These records, especially Litchfield County arrest reports, inmate records, and police reports, are created and maintained by the Litchfield County Sheriff's Office and other local police departments in Litchfield County towns.

To obtain these records, interested persons can contact the Litchfield County Sheriff's Office in person or by mail, or use the online records request or lookup services available on the sheriff's official website. Fees may apply.

Alternatively, interested parties may submit their requests for Litchfield County criminal records to the Connecticut State Police Bureau of Identification. To do this, individuals should complete the Criminal History Record Request Form and mail the completed form to CSPBI at:

Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection
State Police Bureau of Identification
1111 Country Club Road
Middletown, CT 06457
Phone: (860) 685-8480

A criminal background search by name and date of birth costs $36.00 (this only tells if a record exists but doesn’t provide the actual record). A criminal conviction history record search by name and date of birth costs $75.00 (provides a copy only if a record exists). Meanwhile, a criminal conviction history record search by fingerprint costs $75.00, with fingerprinting completed for $15.00.

Litchfield County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Individuals can access records of all criminal cases adjudicated in Litchfield County Superior Court online through the Criminal Case Look-up portal. Through this portal, individuals can:

• Search for conviction records by name or docket number
• Access daily dockets on criminal case proceedings by defendant's name or court
• View pending criminal case records by docket number or defendant's details
• Lookup Litchfield County arrest warrants for criminal offenses

The criminal case look-up portal is free to use but is limited to inspection of these records. To obtain copies of Litchfield County criminal court case records, interested persons should visit the Litchfield County Superior Court clerk's office. Fees may be required to obtain informational or certified copies of these records.

Chief Clerk's Office
Litchfield Judicial District Courthouse
50 Field Street
Torrington, CT 06790
Phone: (860) 626-2100

Get Litchfield County Civil Court Records

Litchfield County civil court records are official documents from non-criminal cases heard in the Litchfield Superior Court. These cases include, but are not limited to, contract disputes, personal injury claims, divorce cases, property disputes, and small claims. The Clerk of the Litchfield Superior Court is the custodian of these records.

Individuals seeking Litchfield County civil court records should use the "Civil/Family/Housing/Small Claims Case Lookup" portal to search for and look up these records online. Searches can be conducted on the portal by party name, docket number, or attorney/Juris number. Alternatively, individuals may visit the Litchfield County Superior Court clerk's office to obtain these records in-person.

Chief Clerk's Office
Litchfield Judicial District Courthouse
50 Field Street
Torrington, CT 06790
Phone: (860) 626-2100

Litchfield County Family Court Records

Litchfield County family court records are official documents from family law cases heard in Litchfield County Superior Court. They include divorces, child custody cases, adoptions, paternity determinations, domestic violence cases, and child support cases. Access to family court records is typically public, but cases involving minors, adoption records, and records related to domestic violence victims are sequestered from public disclosure.

Interested individuals who wish to access Litchfield County family case records can use the "Civil/Family/Housing/Small Claims Case Lookup" portal to view case files online or contact the Litchfield County Superior Court clerk's office to obtain records of matters handled in the superior court.

Chief Clerk's Office
Litchfield Judicial District Courthouse
50 Field Street
Torrington, CT 06790
Phone: (860) 626-2100

For cases handled in a Litchfield County Probate Court, such as custody, adoptions, and paternity determination, contact the specific probate courthouse where the case was handled.

Litchfield Dissolution of Marriage Records

To find records related to the dissolution of a marriage in Litchfield County, individuals should:

• Contact the Litchfield County Superior Court Clerk’s Office in-person or by phone
• Conduct name-based or docket number searches for divorce records on the Superior Court Case Look-up portal.

Litchfield County Marriage and Divorce Records

Litchfield County marriage records provide details about legal unions, including the names and ages of the couple, the ceremony date and location, and the officiant's name. The town clerk of where a marriage occurred in Litchfield County is the primary custodian of the marriage record. In contrast, a divorce record documents the dissolution of a marriage and the Litchfield County Superior Court Clerk’s Office maintains and dispenses this record.

To obtain a Litchfield County marriage record, individuals should direct their requests to the town clerk of where the marriage happened. For example, to request a marriage record from the Litchfield Town Clerk, individuals should complete the Request for Marriage Certificate Form and mail the completed form along with a photocopy of a valid Photo ID, a check, or a money order of $20 payable to the Litchfield Town Clerk, and a return self-addressed envelope to:

Litchfield Town Clerk
P.O. Box 488
Litchfield, CT 06759.

Alternatively, individuals may complete the Request for Marriage Certificate Form and mail it along with the $20 per copy fee (payable by money order to "Treasurer, State of Connecticut) to:

Connecticut Department of Public Health
Vital Records Section
Customer Services, MS #11 VRS
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308.

On the other hand, to request a Litchfield County divorce record, individuals should contact the Litchfield County Superior Court Clerk’s Office. A certified copy of a Litchfield County divorce decree costs $25.

Chief Clerk's Office
Litchfield Judicial District Courthouse
50 Field Street
Torrington, CT 06790
Phone: (860) 626-2100

Litchfield Birth and Death Records

The Connecticut Department of Public Health is the custodian of birth and death records in Connecticut. Birth and death records are vital documents in the state. They are considered extremely important because birth records establish identity and citizenship, while death records help survivors claim inheritance and benefits.

Individuals can obtain Litchfield County birth and death records from the Connecticut Department of Public Health. However, only persons 18 years and older may obtain certified copies of birth certificates at least 100 years old. Access to birth certificates less than 100 years old is limited to the subject of the birth record (if over the age of eighteen), the record subject's children, grandchildren, spouse, parent, guardian, or grandparent, and others as listed on the DPH’s website. For a certified copy of a death certificate, any person at least 18 years old may obtain one. However, only a deceased person's spouse or next of kin can access their social security number.

To obtain a birth certificate, eligible individuals should complete the state application form and forward the completed form by mail, along with a photo ID and the applicable fee of $20, to the state vital records office:

Connecticut Department of Public Health
Vital Records Section
Customer Services, MS #11 VRS
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308.

Alternatively, individuals may fill out the town application form and send it to the town clerk of where the record subject was born to obtain the birth certificate.

Meanwhile, to request a death certificate, individuals should complete the state application form and mail it (along with the $20 fee) to the state vital records office:
Connecticut Department of Public Health
Vital Records Section
Customer Services, MS #11 VRS
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308.

Alternatively, they may use the town application form to request a death certificate from the town clerk of the town the deceased died.

Litchfield County Probate Court Records

Probate court case records in Litchfield County are maintained and provided to the public upon request by the clerk of the probate courthouse where the case was adjudicated. A probate court record includes files on wills, trusts, estates, and other cases handled in the county's probate courts.

To obtain copies of Litchfield County probate court records, individuals should direct their requests to the specific probate courthouse where the case was handled. The contact information for Litchfield County probate courthouses is listed below.

Litchfield Hills Probate Court - Kent
Kent Town Hall
41 Kent Green Blvd
Kent, CT 06757
Phone: (860) 927-3729

Litchfield Hills Probate Court - North Canaan
Town Hall
100 Pease Street
North Canaan, CT 06018
Phone: (860) 824-7012
Fax: (860) 824-7428

Litchfield Hills Probate Court - Litchfield
Town Hall
74 West Street
P.O. Box 505
Litchfield, CT06759
Phone: (860) 567-8065
Fax: (860) 567-2538

Housatonic Probate Court
47 Bridge Street
New Milford, CT 06776
Phone: (860) 355-6029
Fax: (860) 355-6024
Mailing Address:
47 Bridge Street
New Milford, CT 06776.

Litchfield County Property Records

Litchfield County property records contain information on land and real properties within the county's jurisdiction, including ownership history, lien, mortgage, legal description, and property tax and assessment information. In Litchfield County, all property documents are recorded and maintained by the Town Clerk's Office in the specific town where a property is located. Thus, Town Clerks serve as the custodians of property records within their respective town limits.

Persons who seek to obtain a Litchfield County property record should contact the town clerk's office where the property of interest is located. For example, individuals should contact the Litchfield Town Clerk's office for property records of real properties and land within the Town of Litchfield.

Litchfield Town Clerk
74 West Street
P.O. Box 488
Litchfield, CT 06759
Phone: (860) 567-7561

Alternatively, interested individuals may use the online land records portal to conduct name, document, date, and book searches for land and property records in the Town of Litchfield dating back to 1979. Viewing property documents via the portal is free, but fees apply to obtain a printed copy.

Litchfield County Court Records Online

While official and government-operated channels remain the primary source for accessing Litchfield County court records, interested individuals can use third-party websites as an alternative to lookup Litchfield County court records. Third-party aggregate websites, such as Connecticutcourtrecords.us, compile public records from various jurisdictions, including court and property information, and make them publicly available.

These online third-party websites are searchable by name and case numbers (and location, in most cases, as an added filter) for free. However, some sites may charge a fee for accessing detailed public records. Users should note that information from third-party sites may not always be complete or current. Hence, while they can be useful for initial research, they should not replace official government sources for Litchfield County court records.