Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 882 - Superior Court
Section 51-165. - Number of judges. Retired judges. Assignment to hear housing matters and juvenile matters.

(a)(1) On and after July 1, 1998, the Superior Court shall consist of one hundred eighty-one judges, including the judges of the Supreme Court and the Appellate Court, who shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon nomination of the Governor.

(2) On and after October 1, 1998, the Superior Court shall consist of one hundred eighty-three judges, including the judges of the Supreme Court and the Appellate Court, who shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon nomination of the Governor.
(3) On and after January 1, 1999, the Superior Court shall consist of one hundred eighty-six judges, including the judges of the Supreme Court and the Appellate Court, who shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon nomination of the Governor.
(4) On and after October 1, 1999, the Superior Court shall consist of one hundred ninety-one judges, including the judges of the Supreme Court and the Appellate Court, who shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon nomination of the Governor.
(5) On and after October 1, 2000, the Superior Court shall consist of one hundred ninety-six judges, including the judges of the Supreme Court and the Appellate Court, who shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon nomination of the Governor.
(6) On and after April 1, 2009, the Superior Court shall consist of two hundred one judges, including the judges of the Supreme Court and the Appellate Court, who shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon nomination of the Governor.
(b) In addition thereto, each judge of the Supreme Court, Appellate Court, or judge of the Superior Court who elects to retain his office but retire from full-time active service shall continue to be a member of the Superior Court during the remainder of his term of office and during the term of any reappointment under section 51-50i, until he attains the age of seventy years. He shall be entitled to participate in the meetings of the judges of the Superior Court and to vote as a member thereof.
(c) Any judge assigned to hear housing matters should have a commitment to the maintenance of decent, safe and sanitary housing and, if practicable, shall devote full time to housing matters. If practicable, he should be assigned to hear matters for not less than eighteen months. Any judge assigned to housing matters in a judicial district should reside in one of the judicial districts served by the housing session after he is assigned thereto.
(d) Any judge assigned to hear juvenile matters should have a commitment to the prompt resolution of disputes affecting the care and custody of children with full understanding of all factors affecting the best interests of children and, if practicable, shall devote full time to juvenile matters. If practicable, any such judge should be assigned to hear juvenile matters for not less than eighteen months.
(1949 Rev., S. 7621; 1953, S. 3110d; 1957, P.A. 476, S. 1; February, 1965, P.A. 331, S. 16; 1967, P.A. 243, S. 2; P.A. 73-91, S. 1, 2; P.A. 74-183, S. 8, 291; 74-309, S. 11, 17; P.A. 76-436, S. 6, 681; P.A. 78-365, S. 3, 13; P.A. 80-448, S. 5, 8; P.A. 81-312, S. 1, 2; 81-419, S. 7; P.A. 82-248, S. 85; 82-389, S. 1, 3; 82-461, S. 8; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-25, S. 4, 9; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-29, S. 10, 82; P.A. 85-280; 85-451, S. 1, 4; 85-468, S. 1, 2; P.A. 86-328, S. 1, 3; P.A. 87-508, S. 1, 10; P.A. 89-335, S. 1, 2; 89-390, S. 23, 37; P.A. 93-225, S. 2, 4; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-6, S. 12, 28; July 13 Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 2, 9; P.A. 97-257, S. 8, 13; P.A. 98-197, S. 1, 8; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4, S. 86.)
History: 1965 act increased number of judges from 27 to 36; 1967 act increased number to 41; P.A. 73-91 increased number of judges to judges to 46, effective April 19, 1973, with terms to commence the first of June, July, August, September and October, 1973 and nominations to be made by governor on or before May 15, 1973; P.A. 74-183 increased number of judges to 51, effective May 24, 1974, for purpose of appointment for terms effective December 31, 1974; P.A. 74-309 added provisions re judges who retain office but retire from full-time active service; P.A. 76-436 increased number of judges to 118, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 78-365 increased number of judges to 119 and added provisions re judges assigned to hear housing matters; P.A. 80-448 required that judge hearing housing matters should be assigned to do so for not less than 18 months, deleting reference to July 1, 1980, as duration of time during which housing matters assigned to particular judge; P.A. 81-312 increased the number of judges from 119 to 127; P.A. 81-419 deleted a reference to the judge assigned to hear housing matters in the judicial district of Hartford-New Britain and clarified the language concerning residency to make it applicable to any judge hearing housing matters; P.A. 82-248 divided section into Subsecs.; P.A. 82-389 increased number of superior court judges from 127 to 131; P.A. 82-461 provided that a judge assigned to hear housing matters in a judicial district should reside in one of the judicial districts served by the housing session rather than in that judicial district; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-25 amended Subsec. (c) by adding “if practicable” to requirement that housing judge should devote full time to housing matters; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-29 increased number of superior court judges from 131 to 136 and added references to appellate court; P.A. 85-280 added Subsec. (d) re assignment of judges to hear juvenile matters; P.A. 85-451 increased number of judges to 137; P.A. 85-468 increased number of superior court judges to 143, thereby repealing by implication the increase in P.A. 85-451; P.A. 86-328 increased number of superior court judges to 146; P.A. 87-508 increased number of superior court judges to 155; P.A. 89-335 increased number of superior court judges to 163; P.A. 89-390 increased number of superior court judges from to 166; P.A. 93-225 amended Subsec. (a) by increasing number of superior court judges to 168, effective July 1, 1993; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-6 amended Subsec. (a) to increase the number of judges to 172, effective July 1, 1994; July 13 Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 amended Subsec. (a) to increase number of superior court judges to 174, effective July 15, 1994; P.A. 97-257 amended Subsec. (a) by increasing number of judges to 177 on and after January 1, 1998, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-197 amended Subsec. (a) by increasing number of judges to 181, on and after July 1, 1998, to 183 on and after October 1, 1998, to 186 on and after January 1, 1999, to 191 on and after October 1, 1999 and to 196 on and after October 1, 2000, effective July 1, 1998; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4 added Subsec. (a)(6) to increase the number of judges on and after April 1, 2009, to 201, effective April 1, 2009.
Is one court throughout state. 76 C. 327; 108 C. 77. Cited. 193 C. 670; 206 C. 323; 217 C. 57.
Cited. 41 CS 1.

Structure Connecticut General Statutes

Connecticut General Statutes

Title 51 - Courts

Chapter 882 - Superior Court

Section 51-164s. - Superior Court sole trial court. Jurisdiction transferred from Court of Common Pleas and Juvenile Court.

Section 51-164t. - Composition of Superior Court established by rule.

Section 51-164u. - Transfer of matters and appeals pending on July 1, 1978.

Section 51-164v. (Formerly Sec. 51-141b). - Use of Circuit Court and Court of Common Pleas forms in the Superior Court.

Section 51-164w. - Juvenile Court, Circuit Court and Court of Common Pleas construed to mean Superior Court as of July 1, 1978.

Section 51-164x. - Review of order prohibiting attendance at court session; review of certain orders sealing or limiting disclosure to court documents, affidavits or files.

Section 51-165. - Number of judges. Retired judges. Assignment to hear housing matters and juvenile matters.

Section 51-166. - Annual meeting of judges.

Section 51-167. - Special meetings of the judges.

Section 51-169 to 51-171. - Salaries of clerks and assistant clerks; traveling expenses; full-time, part-time requirements. Clerks of Superior Court to be county and judicial district clerks; custody of records of former county courts. Certification...

Section 51-172 to 51-174. - Records and files at Waterbury. Civil actions on appeals brought in Ansonia filed in Waterbury. Records and seal of court at Winchester.

Section 51-176 to 51-179. - Special state's attorney. Circuit Court prosecutors not to be state's attorneys. Expenses of state's attorneys. Civil term.

Section 51-180. - Criminal terms and sessions.

Section 51-180a. (Formerly Sec. 51-153). - Special session when accused confined for want of bail.

Section 51-181. - Times and places for the sitting of the Superior Court.

Section 51-181a. - Sessions at Bristol.

Section 51-181b. - Drug docket and drug courts.

Section 51-181c. - Community court.

Section 51-181d. - Truancy docket. Implementation.

Section 51-181e. - Domestic violence dockets.

Section 51-182. - Notice of sessions. Special sessions. Short calendar.

Section 51-182a and 51-182b. - Family relations term. Family relations sessions.

Section 51-182c. - Transferred to Chapter 815, Sec. 46b-1.

Section 51-182d. - Length of family relations sessions; assignment of judges.

Section 51-182e and 51-182f. - Transferred to Chapter 815, Secs. 46b-3 and 46b-4, respectively.

Section 51-182h. - Transferred to Chapter 815, Sec. 46b-11.

Section 51-182i to 51-182k. - Transferred to Chapter 815, Secs. 46b-5 to 46b-7, inclusive.

Section 51-182l. - Transferred to Chapter 815, Sec. 46b-10.

Section 51-182m. - Transferred to Chapter 815, Sec. 46b-9.

Section 51-182n and 51-182o. - Hearing of appeals from Juvenile Court. Sessions for appeals from Common Pleas Court.

Section 51-182p. - Transferred to Chapter 815, Sec. 46b-8.

Section 51-183. - Substitute judge.

Section 51-183a. (Formerly Sec. 51-28). - Judge's inability to hold court.

Section 51-183b. (Formerly Sec. 51-29). - Judgments in civil actions. Time limit.

Section 51-183c. (Formerly Sec. 51-41). - Same judge not to preside at new trial.

Section 51-183d. (Formerly Sec. 51-42). - Disqualified judge; proceedings not void.

Section 51-183e. (Formerly Sec. 51-43). - Presiding judge or arbitrator to have casting vote.

Section 51-183f. (Formerly Sec. 51-44). - Expiration of term, disability retirement, death or resignation of judge.

Section 51-183g. (Formerly Sec. 51-46). - Retiring judge; unfinished matters.

Section 51-183h. (Formerly Sec. 51-41a). - Judge not to hear motion attacking bench warrant which he signed.

Section 51-184. - Adjournment of court.

Section 51-185. - Disposition of civil business at criminal sessions.

Section 51-186. - Hearings at the Connecticut Correctional Institution, Somers.

Section 51-187. - Court accommodations in Windham County and at Rockville.

Section 51-189. - Transfer of hearings before judges.

Section 51-190. - Trial before judge; papers filed where.

Section 51-190a. (Formerly Sec. 51-161). - Filing of papers upon decision.

Section 51-191 to 51-193. - Cause affecting land; documents lodged in Superior Court. Clerk designated by judge to take papers. Records may be rewritten.

Section 51-193b. - *(See end of section for amended version and effective date.) Payment of fees, costs and fines by credit card.

Section 51-193c. - Filing of document or data by computer, facsimile transmission or other technology. Use of technology for required payments. Electronic signature and verification. Standards. Rules.

Section 51-193d. - Moneys found in or on grounds of Superior Court presumed abandoned.

Section 51-193l. - Appointment of magistrates. Submission of names of probate judges for approval as magistrates.

Section 51-193m to 51-193q. - Prosecutions to be submitted to magistrate. Persons alleged to have committed motor vehicle infractions; payment of fine; plea of not guilty. Request for jury trial; hearing in Superior Court. Notification of magistrate...

Section 51-193r. - Compensation of magistrates.

Section 51-193s. - Submission of names of probate judges for approval as magistrates.

Section 51-193t. - Hearing of small claims matters by magistrate.

Section 51-193u. - Hearing of violations and infractions by magistrate. Authority of magistrate decision. Demand for trial de novo.

Section 51-194. - Review division, appointment; meetings; disqualification; secretary.

Section 51-195. - Application for review of sentence.

Section 51-196. - Review of sentence or commitment. Decision.

Section 51-197. - Forms and rules of procedure.

Section 51-197a. - Appeals to Appellate Court. Writs. Transfer of jurisdiction from appellate session.

Section 51-197b. (Formerly Sec. 52-7). - Administrative appeals.

Section 51-197c. - Appellate Court; judges, appointment, terms, Chief Judge.

Section 51-197d. - Jurisdiction of appellate session.

Section 51-197e. - Consolidation of appeals.

Section 51-197f. - Further review by certification only.