How to file a small claims case in Connecticut, step by step
Everything from the first letter to getting paid, in the order you'll do it. Tick each step as you go; your progress is saved in this browser.
Before you file
1–3 weeks before filing
Connecticut doesn't require a demand letter before filing, but asking for payment in writing first is a good idea.
Use the free demand letter generator, give them 10–14 days, and keep a copy with proof of the date you sent it.
In Connecticut you can sue for up to $5,000 in the Small Claims Session of the Superior Court.
Run the 60-second case check to see the last day you can file.
- Your full name, address and phone
- The defendant's exact, complete legal name with no abbreviations
- A street address where the defendant can be served
- The amount you're asking for and how you got that number
- A short plain description of what happened
- For an out-of-state person, the Connecticut property they own
Check whether it's a corporation or LLC and find its agent; for a trade name, ask the town clerk where the business is.
Search: Connecticut Secretary of the State Business Records Search.
- The contract, lease, invoice or receipt
- Photos of the damage, dated if possible
- Texts, emails and letters with the other side
- Two written repair estimates or proof of what you paid
- Your demand letter and proof it was sent
- Names and contact details of any witnesses
Fill in the claim
1–2 evenings
JD-CV-40: Small Claims Writ and Notice of Suit. Get the form.
- Who: you and the defendant, with full legal names and addresses
- What: the agreement or event, in 2–4 plain sentences
- When: the date it happened
- How much: the exact amount (no more than $5,000) and how you calculated it
- What you did: when you asked for payment and their response
Sign the JD-CV-40 in front of a notary or a Commissioner of the Superior Court (any Connecticut lawyer).
Keep a copy of the writ, and serve each defendant with a copy of the writ and the Instructions to Defendant (JD-CV-121).
File and pay
Filing day
Choose how you'll file:
Where you live, where the defendant lives or does business, or where the deal or injury happened. Landlord-tenant cases go to the housing session where the property is. Businesses can't file where they themselves are located unless it fits one of the other places.
$95 to file, the same for any amount. A counterclaim also costs $95. Service by a state marshal costs extra; service by mail costs only postage. Can't afford it? Ask for a fee waiver: Application for Waiver of Fees (form JD-FM-75).
The clerk sets an answer date, tells you, and mails the answer form to each defendant at the address you gave.
Serve the defendant
Right after filing
You serve the papers yourself by certified mail (return receipt), priority mail or a national courier with delivery confirmation, or by a state marshal. Out-of-state businesses must be served by a marshal. Then file a Statement of Service (JD-CV-123).
Return the writ to court within one month after service. The clerk sets the answer date and mails the answer form to the defendant.
JD-CV-123 Statement of Service
You (or the marshal) fill it in after service and file it with the court, with mail receipts attached.
Don't wait until the hearing. Ask the clerk right away for a new hearing date and try another method, such as personal delivery instead of mail, or a different address.
Before the hearing
1–4 weeks before
The defendant must file an answer by the answer date and send you a copy. A counterclaim ($95) is also due by then.
If you settle, file a withdrawal; once a judgment is fully paid, the creditor files a Satisfaction of Judgment (JD-CV-164) within 90 days.
Get any settlement in writing, signed by both sides, with the amount and payment date.
A witness who saw what happened is stronger than a written statement; some judges won't accept letters.
Ask the clerk how to have a subpoena issued for a witness; it must be served before the hearing.
- Three copies of every document: for you, the judge and the defendant
- A one-page timeline of what happened, with dates
- A short sheet showing how you calculated the amount
- Photos printed or ready on your phone (ask the clerk if screens are allowed)
The hearing
Hearing day
- You don't need to do anything after the answer date; the court will contact you
- Arrive early and check in with the clerk
- Bring copies of every document and your evidence in date order
- Bring your witnesses, or a subpoena if they won't come voluntarily
- The hearing isn't recorded and there's no jury
- Who you are and what you're asking for: the amount.
- What the agreement or situation was.
- What went wrong, with dates.
- What it cost you and how you calculated it, showing your documents.
- That you asked for payment and what they said.
Speak to the judge, not the other side. Stay calm, answer the question asked, and don't interrupt.
If the defendant doesn't answer, the magistrate may decide the case without a hearing. If you miss a hearing, your case can be dismissed.
After the judgment
Weeks to months
Neither side can appeal a small claims decision. If a defendant wants a jury or a regular trial, they must ask to move the case to the regular docket before the answer date ($125 fee).
The court doesn't collect for you. Ask for an execution ($105) so a state marshal can take wages, bank accounts or other property, or record a judgment lien on real estate. Executions can be used for 10 years.
Keep proof of every payment. When you're paid in full, tell the court; some courts require a satisfaction-of-judgment form.
Connecticut Judicial Branch Court Service Centers and small claims FAQ