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The mission of the Connecticut Judicial Branch is to serve the interests of justice and the public by resolving matters brought before it in a fair, timely, efficient and open manner.
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  CT SAVIN  
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Civil Forms
Forms you may need after a Civil Lawsuit is started – The Complaint has already been filed
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Disclaimer: The information on this web page is provided as a service and a convenience by the Connecticut Judicial Branch. It is not intended as legal advice to any person. If you have questions about the use of these forms, your legal rights, or particular issues in your case, it is strongly recommended that you talk to an attorney.

Due to the changing nature of the law, the forms and information found on this web site will change from time to time. It is up to you to follow the current procedures and to file the correct, up-to-date forms. Each court location has a Clerk's Office and many locations also have a Court Service Center that can give you help and information about court procedures. Please note, however, that Clerk's Office and Court Service Center personnel cannot provide you with legal advice.

Instructions

These instructions are to help you represent yourself in a civil lawsuit after the complaint has already been filed. Legal words and court documents can be confusing. Information about filling out forms may make you more comfortable with the procedure when you come to court. These instructions will give you some useful information and instructions on filling out any additional necessary forms.

Every case is different and these instructions are to be used as a guide only; if you think you need more help you may want to get an attorney. You can also go to a Court Service Center or contact the Connecticut Network for Legal AidExternal Link or find additional information at the Law Libraries. Court Staff can help you understand the legal process, and while they may give you procedural information, they cannot give you legal advice.

Some forms that you may need after a lawsuit has started and the Complaint has been filed are:

  • Appearance (JD-CL-12) - (There is also a How-To Slidecast to help you with this)
  • Certificate of Closed Pleadings (JD-CV-11)
  • Scheduling Order (JD-CV-71)
  • Motion for Continuance (JD-CV-21)
  • Withdrawal form (JD-CV-41)
  • Exhibit List (JD-CL-28)
  • Jury Claim (JD-CL-53)
By filing an Appearance form you are telling the court that you are acting as your own attorney and giving the court your mailing address. Once you file an Appearance, all court notices and papers filed about your case that are filed after your Appearance will be sent to the address on your Appearance.

Filling out the Appearance form makes sure that both the Court and the parties in a case have a current mailing address for each party in the lawsuit. It is important to fill out this form in order to receive any court notices, and to give the other parties in your case a correct address for correspondence about the case. For the party that starts the case (the plaintiff), the Appearance information is taken from the Civil Summons. Each Defendant in the case must fill out an Appearance form by the return date listed on the Civil Summons. If any party in the case has a change of address, the Appearance form is used to report the change of address. There is a box at the top of the Appearance form to check that the form is being filled out because of a change of address.

The Certificate of Closed Pleadings is the form to get your case onto the list of cases that are ready for a trial. The Certificate of Closed Pleadings may be filled out by either party in the case when "the pleadings are closed". The pleadings are usually considered closed when the claims of one party have been answered by the other party. For example, if the complaint is answered but then a special defense is filed, the plaintiff must file a reply to the special defense before either party can file the Certificate of Closed Pleadings.

A Scheduling Order is used to help move a case along. The court will tell you when you have to fill one out. Scheduling orders have deadlines for the exchange of discovery, the disclosure of witnesses, a timeline for filing papers, and any other time sensitive issues in a case. The deadlines in a scheduling order must be followed. If they are not followed, the court may take action against the party who does not follow them and, if it is the plaintiff who does not follow them, the case could be dismissed.

A Motion for Continuance is the form to fill out if you need to ask the court to change the date of when you have to come to court. Before you fill out and file this form, you must let all the other parties know that you are asking for a continuance. You must say on the form if the other party or parties agree (consent) to your request.

The Withdrawal form is the form to fill out if you would like to end your case or if you would like to ask the court to not act on a motion you filed. Only the party that filed the case or the motion may fill out and file a Withdrawal. For example, the Plaintiff, the person that brought the case is the only one that can withdraw it. For a motion, only the party that filed the motion can withdraw it. If the Plaintiff withdraws his or her case, the Plaintiff cannot withdraw any Counterclaim by a defendant. In a case with a complaint and a cross-complaint, if the complaint is withdrawn, the cross-complaint would still be active.

For Help - You may go to the Court Service Center for help completing these or any other forms. Any additional procedural questions that you might have may also be directed to the staff of the Court Service Center.

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