To run a Connecticut court case lookup, go to the Judicial Branch’s website at jud.ct.gov and choose the search portal that matches the type of case. Connecticut doesn’t offer a single unified search bar. Civil, family, and housing cases live in one database; criminal and motor vehicle cases live in another; small claims and appellate cases each have their own. Every portal is free, and you can search by a party’s name or by docket number.
Pick the Right Portal First
Choosing the wrong database is the most common reason a search returns nothing. The Judicial Branch’s main lookup page lists every available tool.1State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. Connecticut Judicial Branch Look-up The four you’ll actually use:
- Civil, family, and housing cases: civilinquiry.jud.ct.gov. This covers lawsuits, divorce and custody matters, restraining orders, foreclosures, and landlord-tenant disputes.
- Criminal and motor vehicle cases: jud.ct.gov/crim.htm. This covers pending criminal cases, convictions from the last 10 years, daily court dockets, and traffic matters.2State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. Criminal / Motor Vehicle Case Look-up
- Small claims: a dedicated portal for money disputes up to $5,000, or up to $15,000 for home improvement contracts.3State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. Small Claims Frequently Asked Questions
- Supreme and Appellate Court: appellateinquiry.jud.ct.gov for appeals.4State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. Case Look-up
If you’re not sure whether something is civil or criminal, use the criminal/motor vehicle portal for arrests and traffic tickets, and the civil portal for anything involving a lawsuit or family matter.
What to Type Into the Search
You need either the party’s name or a docket number. Name searches require the exact spelling of a person’s last name or the full legal name of a business. A single typo returns zero results, and so does an extra space in the search field.
A docket number is faster and more precise. Connecticut docket numbers follow a set format: a court location code, a two-letter case type (CV for civil, CR for criminal, FA for family), the filing year, and a sequence number. Location codes for every courthouse are published on the Judicial Branch site.5State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. Superior Court Location Codes If you have any paperwork from the court, the docket number is printed near the top.
You don’t need to know whether the case was heard in a Judicial District or a Geographical Area. A name search covers both levels within the portal you’re using.6Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 890 – Judicial Districts, Geographical Areas, Civil and Criminal Assignments
What the Results Actually Show
A name search returns a list of matching cases with the case caption, docket number, filing date, and court location. For a common name you may get dozens of hits; filtering by filing date or court narrows it down.
Click a docket number and the full case record opens. You’ll see all parties and their attorneys, the assigned judge, every scheduled hearing, and a chronological log of motions, orders, and notices. For concluded cases, the final disposition is listed: judgment, settlement, dismissal, or in a criminal matter, the outcome of the charges.
The criminal/motor vehicle portal is organized a little differently. It splits into separate paths for convictions, pending cases, the daily docket, and attorney lookup by juris number.2State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. Criminal / Motor Vehicle Case Look-up A separate link on the same page lets you search outstanding arrest warrants.
Why Your Search Might Come Back Empty
An empty result doesn’t necessarily mean the case never existed. Several categories of records are blocked from the online portals.
The 10-Year Window for Convictions
The criminal conviction database only shows convictions from the past 10 years after sentencing, and records sometimes drop out about a month before that window closes. Infractions and violations never appear. Unvacated bail forfeitures show up in motor vehicle cases but not in other criminal matters.2State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. Criminal / Motor Vehicle Case Look-up
Juvenile and Youthful Offender Cases
Juvenile court records are confidential by statute and never appear online. Access is limited to court personnel, attorneys on the case, and specific government agencies.7Justia. Connecticut Code 46b-124 – Confidentiality of Records of Juvenile Matters. Exceptions Youthful offender records (for defendants who were 16 or 17 at the time of the offense and were granted youthful offender status) are also closed to public inspection, though certain serious charges like class A felonies and some sexual assault offenses are excluded from that treatment and can remain public.8Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 960a – Youthful Offenders
Erased and Sealed Records
Connecticut law automatically erases criminal records in several situations. When a case is dismissed or the defendant is acquitted, records are sealed 20 days later. When charges are nolled, erasure happens 13 months after. A pardon triggers immediate erasure.9Connecticut General Assembly. Erasure of Criminal Records Once erased, the record disappears from every public database.
The state’s Clean Slate law adds more. Starting in 2023, eligible misdemeanor convictions are erased seven years after the most recent conviction and eligible Class D or E felonies after ten years. The conviction must have occurred on or after January 1, 2000. Family violence and sex offenses are excluded.10State of Connecticut. Clean Slate Connecticut
A judge can also seal records in sensitive cases to protect witnesses or victims. In family cases, some financial documents may be restricted even when the docket itself stays visible.
When the Record Isn’t Online
For disposed Superior Court files that no longer appear in the online system, or for documents that were never uploaded, the Judicial Branch’s Centralized Services Unit handles record requests. Email SuperiorCourtRecordsCenter@jud.ct.gov or call 860-263-2750.11State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. How to Obtain Court Records
Once retrieved, files can be sent to you by email at no charge (subject to size limits), or picked up at any court location or at the Centralized Services Unit, where copy and certification fees may apply. This is also the route for a certified copy to use in another legal proceeding.
Erased or sealed records can’t be obtained this way. They’re treated by law as though they don’t exist, and the clerk’s office won’t release them.
Federal Cases Aren’t in the State System
Connecticut’s lookup portals only cover state court cases. Federal matters filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut, including federal criminal prosecutions, bankruptcies, and civil rights lawsuits, are housed on PACER, a separate system run by the federal judiciary.12PACER: Federal Court Records. Register for an Account PACER requires a registered account and charges $0.10 per page, capped at $3.00 per document, with fees waived if your quarterly total stays at $30 or less. Judicial opinions and anything viewed at a courthouse public-access terminal are free.13United States Courts. Electronic Public Access Fee Schedule