Filing a Civil Lawsuit - CT Judicial Branch

Civil Forms
Filing a Civil Lawsuit

Quick Links

Common Legal Words
Court Fees
Court Service Centers
Civil Publications / Videos
Forms

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 file a civil lawsuit. Legal words and court documents can be confusing. The more you know about the procedure to file a lawsuit, the more comfortable you will be when you fill out the papers you need to start your civil lawsuit. These instructions will give you some useful information and instruction on filling out the paperwork you need to start your lawsuit.

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 Aid

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.

To start a civil lawsuit you have to first fill out a:

Summons, Civil Actions (JD-CV-1)

And attach to the Summons:

Your legal Complaint (This must be written by you, the Plaintiff)

Once you have filled out this paperwork, you must personally take it to the Superior Court Clerk’s Office. The Clerk will sign the summons, and return the signed original and complaint to you.

After the paperwork has been signed by the Clerk, the original summons and complaint must be given to a State Marshal who will serve the party or parties being sued (the defendant(s). The Clerk’s office or the Court Service Center can give you a list of State Marshals. The State Marshal will charge you a fee for delivering the paperwork. If you do not think you can afford to pay the fee, you may ask the court to pay the fee for you. The form you must use is the Application for Waiver of Fees form (JD-CV-120). You must file this form for the court to review before you bring the paperwork to the State Marshal.

You may also use the Application for Waiver of Fees form (JD-CV-120) if you do not think you can afford to pay the fee that is required to file your lawsuit in court. You can use a single Application form to ask the court to excuse you from paying the filing fee and the marshal’s fee.

After the State Marshal has delivered the paperwork to the defendant(s), the original paperwork must be returned to the Clerk’s Office along with the required filing fee or with an Application for Waiver of Fees that has been granted by the court.

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.

Top