Connecticut Supreme Court Decisions
Founded in 1784, the Connecticut Supreme Court consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices. It convenes in eight two-week sessions between September and June. The Court receives its authority from Article V and Amendment Article XX of the Connecticut Constitution, which also provide the rules that govern its procedures. A constitutional amendment is required to make significant changes to the Court.
The Connecticut Supreme Court often hears cases as a panel of five justices, although sometimes all seven justices will hear a case, which is known as en banc review. While most of the cases that it hears originate in superior court, the Court usually will not hear an appeal until an intermediate appellate court has reviewed the case. However, there are exceptions for cases involving a conviction of a crime that carries a death sentence and for cases challenging the validity of a state law or part of the state constitution.
To be eligible to serve on the Connecticut Supreme Court, a candidate must be no older than 70 at the time of their appointment, a resident of Connecticut, and licensed to practice law in Connecticut. When a new justice needs to be appointed, the judicial selection commission will send a list of candidates to the Governor of Connecticut. After the Governor chooses a nominee, the General Assembly will decide whether to confirm them. Each justice serves an eight-year term, after which they must be re-nominated and re-confirmed to be retained. This involves appearing at a hearing before the senate judiciary committee, which will make a recommendation to the General Assembly on whether to re-confirm the justice. The Chief Justice may be selected according to the same process, or the Governor may nominate a current Associate Justice to serve as the Chief Justice. If this happens, the justice will serve only the remainder of their current eight-year term as the Chief Justice. A justice must retire from actively serving on the Court when they turn 70.
- 2024 (21)
- 2023 (102)
- 2022 (172)
- 2021 (190)
- 2020 (56)
- 2019 (132)
- 2018 (108)
- 2017 (138)
- 2016 (181)
- 2015 (182)
- 2014 (177)
- 2013 (131)
- 2012 (166)
- 2011 (170)
- 2010 (186)
- 2009 (191)
- 2008 (203)
- 2007 (181)
- 2006 (171)
- 2005 (190)
- 2004 (198)
- 2003 (237)
- 2002 (158)
- 2001 (186)
- 2000 (76)
- 1998 (1)
- 1997 (2)
- 1996 (4)
- 1991 (1)
- 1990 (2)
- 1988 (1)
- 1985 (2)
- 1983 (174)
- 1982 (184)
- 1981 (184)
- 1980 (218)
- 1979 (209)
- 1978 (163)
- 1977 (131)
- 1976 (169)
- 1975 (159)
- 1974 (121)
- 1973 (101)
- 1972 (118)
- 1971 (97)
- 1970 (84)
- 1969 (87)
- 1968 (106)
- 1967 (110)
- 1966 (97)
- 1965 (103)
- 1964 (110)
- 1963 (97)
- 1962 (96)
- 1961 (116)
- 1960 (95)
- 1959 (109)
- 1958 (112)
- 1957 (71)
- 1956 (116)
- 1955 (102)
- 1954 (119)
- 1953 (114)
- 1952 (90)
- 1951 (105)
- 1950 (95)
Recent Decisions From the Connecticut Supreme Court
Date: April 16, 2024
Docket Number: SC20754
Date: April 16, 2024
Docket Number: SC20754
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves a dispute between Mercedes-Benz Financial and 1188 Stratford Avenue, LLC, and its principal, Aniello Dizenzo. The plaintiff, Mercedes-Benz Financial, alleged that the defendants breached a motor vehicle…
Date: April 16, 2024
Docket Number: SC20832
Justia Opinion Summary: The case revolves around a dispute over visitation rights for a minor child, L. The plaintiff, Laurie Hepburn, is the sister of L's deceased mother and had lived with L since her birth in 2010. After the death of L's…
Date: April 9, 2024
Docket Number: SC20703
Justia Opinion Summary: The case revolves around a plaintiff who was arrested for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor. The arresting officer prepared a report of the incident and mailed it to the…
Date: April 9, 2024
Docket Number: SC20720
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant, Gonzalo Diaz, was convicted of felony murder, burglary in the first degree, conspiracy to commit burglary in the first degree, attempt to commit robbery in the first degree, and criminal possession of a…
Date: April 2, 2024
Docket Number: SC20759
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves two plaintiffs, Glen A. Canner and Louis D. Puteri, who separately sued a condominium association, Governors Ridge Association, Inc., alleging that the foundations supporting their respective units were…
Date: March 26, 2024
Docket Number: SC20575
Justia Opinion Summary: The defendant, Dwayne Sayles, was convicted of felony murder and conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree, among other crimes, in connection with his role in the robbery of a convenience store and the shooting…
Date: March 19, 2024
Docket Number: SC20688
Justia Opinion Summary: In this case, the defendant, Lawrence Lee Henderson, was convicted of home invasion after a jury trial. During the trial, the defendant contracted COVID-19, resulting in a 25-day delay in jury deliberations. When the…
Date: March 12, 2024
Docket Number: SC20722
Justia Opinion Summary: The plaintiff, the only child of the decedent, filed a lawsuit against the defendant, the decedent's second husband, for tortious interference with the plaintiff’s expected inheritance. The decedent had left her estate…
Date: March 5, 2024
Docket Number: SC20699
Justia Opinion Summary: This case involves a lieutenant with the Hartford Police Department who filed a bill of discovery against a blogger who writes about Hartford municipal governance. The plaintiff is seeking to compel the defendant to…
Date: February 27, 2024
Docket Number: SC20656
Justia Opinion Summary: In a dispute between John Drumm, Chief of Police, et al. and the Freedom of Information Commission in Connecticut, the court was tasked with interpreting a provision of the Freedom of Information Act. The provision in…
Date: February 27, 2024
Docket Number: SC20716
Date: February 27, 2024
Docket Number: SC20716
Justia Opinion Summary: In the case, GenConn Energy, LLC, an electricity supplier, appealed to the Supreme Court of Connecticut, arguing that the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) overstepped its authority by reducing GenConn's…
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
