A Connecticut eviction lookup starts at the state Judicial Branch’s free Civil/Family Case Look-up, where you can search summary process cases by party name, docket number, or property address. Not every case stays visible, though. A 2024 state law requires the court to pull certain eviction records off its website within 30 days when the case ends in the tenant’s favor, is dismissed, or is withdrawn by the landlord.
How to Search Connecticut Eviction Cases Online
Eviction cases in Connecticut are filed as “Summary Process” actions. Although the Judicial Branch website lists Housing Sessions as a separate category, all housing case searches now run through the Civil/Family Case Look-up portal.1Connecticut Judicial Branch. Housing Case Look-up Either the Housing link or the Civil/Family link on the main Case Look-up page will get you there.2Connecticut Judicial Branch. Case Look-up
Once inside, you have three ways to find a case:
- Search by party name. Enter the first and last name of the tenant or landlord. If the landlord is a business, use the company or LLC name. The system returns matching cases with the case title, court location, and filing date.
- Search by docket number. This is the fastest option if you already have the number. Connecticut docket numbers include a prefix indicating the court and case type, followed by digits for the year and filing sequence.
- Search by property address. Useful when you don’t know the exact names of the parties but know where the rental is located.1Connecticut Judicial Branch. Housing Case Look-up
Clicking the docket number on any result opens the full case summary. That page lists every filing, motion, court order, and the final judgment in chronological order. From there you can see whether a case is still pending, whether a judgment for possession was entered, or how the matter was resolved.
What You Need Before You Search
Specific inputs give better results. A party name search works when you know the legal name of the tenant or landlord. Partial names and nicknames won’t match, and common names can return dozens of unrelated cases, so knowing the court location or the approximate filing year helps narrow things down.
A docket number is the most precise starting point. Every Connecticut case gets a unique identifier from the clerk. If you received any court paperwork during the proceedings, the docket number appears near the top. Using it takes you straight to the file without guesswork.
Why Some Cases Won’t Appear
Connecticut General Statutes Section 47a-26j, effective July 1, 2024, requires the Judicial Department to remove all records and identifying information for a summary process case from its website within 30 days of any of these outcomes:3Justia. Connecticut Code Title 47a Chapter 832 Section 47a-26j – Records of Summary Process Actions
- Withdrawal by the landlord.
- Dismissal or nonsuit by the court on any grounds.
- Judgment for the tenant after the case is decided.
The law is retroactive, so it covers cases disposed of both before and after July 2024. An old case that was dismissed years ago should no longer appear in the online system.
Removal isn’t always permanent. If new activity occurs in a case that was already removed, such as an appeal, the court restores the record to the website. The restored record then stays visible until 30 days after the new final disposition.3Justia. Connecticut Code Title 47a Chapter 832 Section 47a-26j – Records of Summary Process Actions
Cases that resulted in a judgment against the tenant do remain online for a period after final disposition, but the court eventually removes them from the website to manage database volume. Removal from the website does not mean the record has been destroyed.
Finding Older or Paper Records
When a case has aged off the online system, you can still retrieve it in person. Visit the clerk’s office at the Housing Session or Geographical Area court where the case was originally heard. Court staff can help locate physical files or archived records. Connecticut courts charge $1 per page for copies and $25 for a certified copy of a judgment file.4Connecticut Judicial Branch. Court Fees In-person records provide a complete history that extends beyond the online system’s retention window.
Removed Records and Tenant Screening
If you’re running a lookup because an eviction has surfaced on a background check, the same 2024 law matters here too. Section 47a-26j bars any person or business from disclosing a removed record for commercial purposes, including selling court records in bulk, creating tenant screening reports, evaluating prospective tenants, and any other use for financial gain. Governmental, scholarly, educational, and journalistic uses are excepted, and formal written judicial opinions can still be published.3Justia. Connecticut Code Title 47a Chapter 832 Section 47a-26j – Records of Summary Process Actions
Private screening companies scrape public court records and store them in their own databases, so a dismissed eviction can still surface in a background check if the company hasn’t updated its files. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, screening companies generally cannot report civil lawsuits and judgments, including housing court cases, that are more than seven years old, and they must take reasonable steps to ensure the information they report is accurate, including how a case was resolved.5Federal Trade Commission. Tenant Background Checks and Your Rights
If a screening report contains a Connecticut eviction that should have been removed, or misstates how a case ended, you can dispute it in writing with the company that produced the report and include supporting documents such as a court order showing dismissal. The company generally has 30 days to investigate, and up to 45 in some cases. If the information is inaccurate or can’t be verified, the company must delete or correct it, and you can ask that the corrected report be sent to the landlord who ran the check.6Federal Trade Commission. Disputing Errors on Your Tenant Background Check Report