To run a Connecticut court case lookup, go to the Judicial Branch’s site at jud.ct.gov and pick the search portal that matches your case type: civil, family, and housing cases sit in one database, criminal and motor vehicle cases in another, and small claims and appellate matters each have their own. Every portal lets you search by party name or docket number, and the searches are free. Juvenile cases, youthful offender records, and anything that has been erased or sealed will not appear.
Pick the Right Portal First
Connecticut does not have a single unified search bar. The main gateway page lists every available tool, and choosing the wrong one is the most common reason a search comes back empty.1State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. Connecticut Judicial Branch Look-up
- Civil, family, and housing cases (lawsuits, divorce, custody, foreclosure, landlord-tenant): civilinquiry.jud.ct.gov.
- Criminal and motor vehicle cases (arrests, convictions, traffic offenses, daily dockets): jud.ct.gov/crim.htm.2State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. Criminal / Motor Vehicle Case Look-up
- Small claims cases (money damages up to $5,000, or up to $15,000 for home improvement contracts): a separate small claims portal.3State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. Small Claims Frequently Asked Questions
- Supreme and Appellate Court cases: appellateinquiry.jud.ct.gov.4State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. Case Look-up
If you are not sure whether the matter is civil or criminal, start with the criminal/motor vehicle portal for tickets and arrests, and the civil portal for lawsuits and family matters.
What You Need Before You Search
You can search with either a party’s name or a docket number. If you use a name, you need the exact spelling of the last name or the full legal name of a business. Even a small typo returns zero results. Do not add extra spaces in the search fields, which can also cause the system to return nothing.
A docket number is the fastest route to a specific case. Connecticut docket numbers begin with a court location code, then a two-letter case type indicator (CV for civil, CR for criminal, FA for family), then the filing year and a unique sequence number. The Judicial Branch publishes location codes for every courthouse.5State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. Superior Court Location Codes If you have any paperwork from the court, the docket number is usually printed near the top.
Connecticut divides its Superior Court into 13 Judicial Districts and 20 Geographical Areas. Geographical Areas handle motor vehicle matters and criminal arraignments; Judicial Districts generally handle major civil cases, family matters, and serious criminal proceedings.6Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 890 – Judicial Districts, Geographical Areas, Civil and Criminal Assignments You don’t have to know which court level handled the case, though: a name search will return results from either.
Searching Civil, Family, and Housing Cases
The civil inquiry portal covers the broadest range of matters, including personal injury lawsuits, contract disputes, foreclosures, divorce and custody proceedings, restraining orders, and housing code violations. On civilinquiry.jud.ct.gov, you’ll see input fields for party name or docket number. Enter the last name first when searching by name.
Results show the case caption, docket number, filing date, and court location. Common names can produce dozens of hits; filtering by filing date or court location narrows things down. Clicking a docket number opens the full record: all parties, their attorneys, the assigned judge, scheduled hearings, and a chronological list of every motion, order, and notice filed. For concluded cases, you’ll also see the final disposition, whether that’s a judgment, settlement, or dismissal.
Searching Criminal and Motor Vehicle Cases
The criminal and motor vehicle portal splits into several separate tools depending on what you need:2State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. Criminal / Motor Vehicle Case Look-up
- Convictions search: by defendant name or docket number, showing criminal and motor vehicle charges that resulted in a conviction within the past 10 years.
- Pending cases search: by defendant name or docket number for cases without a final disposition.
- Daily docket search: by court location or defendant name for cases scheduled that day.
- Attorney or firm lookup: by juris number.
The 10-year window matters. The conviction database only reaches back a decade from sentencing, and records sometimes drop off a month before that window closes. Infractions, violations, youthful offender cases, and juvenile matters never appear at all. Unvacated bail forfeitures show up for motor vehicle cases, but not for other types of cases.
The same page links to a separate tool for searching outstanding arrest warrants.
What Will Not Show Up Online
A blank result does not always mean the case never existed. Several categories of records are blocked from public online access.
Juvenile and Youthful Offender Records
Juvenile court records are confidential and never appear in an online search. State law limits access to court personnel, attorneys on the case, and certain government agencies.7Justia. Connecticut Code 46b-124 – Confidentiality of Records of Juvenile Matters. Exceptions
Youthful offender records get similar protection. Connecticut defines a “youth” as someone who was 16 or 17 at the time of the alleged offense, and once the court grants youthful offender status the records become confidential.8Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 960a – Youthful Offenders Class A felonies and certain sexual assault charges are excluded from youthful offender treatment, so those records can remain public.
Erased and Sealed Records
Connecticut law automatically erases criminal records in several situations. Dismissals and acquittals are sealed after 20 days. Charges that are nolled (dropped by the prosecutor) are erased 13 months later. A pardon triggers immediate erasure.9Connecticut General Assembly. Erasure of Criminal Records Once erased, these records vanish from every public database.
The state’s Clean Slate law adds another layer. Starting in 2023, certain older convictions began being automatically erased from public records. Eligible misdemeanors 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, and family violence and sex offenses are excluded.10State of Connecticut. Clean Slate Connecticut
Cases sealed by court order also stay offline. Judges can seal records to protect witnesses, victims, or other parties. In family cases, certain financial documents may be restricted from public view even when the docket itself remains visible.
Getting Records That Are Not Online
For records from a concluded case that no longer appears in the online system, or documents that were never uploaded, the Judicial Branch’s Centralized Services Unit handles requests for disposed Superior Court files. Email SuperiorCourtRecordsCenter@jud.ct.gov or call 860-263-2750.11State of Connecticut Judicial Branch. How to Obtain Court Records
Once the file is retrieved, you can receive it by email at no charge, subject to size limits, or pick it up at any court location or at the Centralized Services Unit. Copy and certification fees may apply for in-person pickup. This is also the route for a certified copy of a court document.
Records that have been erased or sealed by court order generally cannot be obtained this way. They are legally treated as though they do not exist, and the clerk’s office will not release them.
Federal Cases Are Not in the State System
The Judicial Branch’s lookup tools only cover Connecticut state courts. Federal cases filed in the District of Connecticut, including federal criminal prosecutions, bankruptcy filings, and civil rights lawsuits, live on PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records), 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 for documents and search results, with individual documents capped at $3.00. If your total charges stay at $30 or less in a quarterly billing cycle, the fees are waived.13PACER: Federal Court Records. Pricing Frequently Asked Questions Judicial opinions and records viewed at courthouse public-access terminals are always free.14United States Courts. Electronic Public Access Fee Schedule