2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 51 - Courts
Chapter 890 - Judicial Districts, Geographical Areas, Civil and Criminal Venue, Filing and Designation of Court Location
Section 51-345 - (Formerly Sec. 52-42). Venue in civil actions. Return of civil process.

(a) Actions in general. Except as provided in section 51-348 and subsections (b) to (g), inclusive, of this section, all civil process shall be made returnable to a judicial district, as follows:

(1) If all the parties reside outside this state, to the judicial district where (A) the injury occurred, (B) the transaction occurred, or (C) the property is located or lawfully attached.

(2) If the defendant is not a resident, to the judicial district where the attached property is located.

(3) If either or both the plaintiff or defendant are residents of this state, to the judicial district where either the plaintiff or defendant resides, except:

(A) If either the plaintiff or the defendant resides in the town of Manchester, East Windsor, South Windsor or Enfield, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of Hartford or the judicial district of Tolland.

(B) If either the plaintiff or the defendant resides in the town of Plymouth, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of New Britain or the judicial district of Waterbury.

(C) If either the plaintiff or the defendant resides in the town of Bethany, Milford, West Haven or Woodbridge, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of New Haven or the judicial district of Ansonia-Milford.

(D) If either the plaintiff or the defendant resides in the town of Southbury, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of Ansonia-Milford or the judicial district of Waterbury.

(E) If either the plaintiff or defendant resides in the town of Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Weston, Westport or Wilton, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of Stamford-Norwalk or the judicial district of Fairfield.

(F) If either the plaintiff or defendant resides in the town of Watertown or Woodbury, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of Waterbury or the judicial district of Litchfield.

(G) If either the plaintiff or defendant resides in the town of Avon, Canton, Farmington or Simsbury, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of Hartford or the judicial district of New Britain.

(H) If either the plaintiff or defendant resides in the town of Newington, Rocky Hill or Wethersfield, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of Hartford or the judicial district of New Britain, except for actions where venue is in the geographical area as provided in section 51-348 or in rules of court.

(I) If either the plaintiff or defendant resides in the town of Cromwell, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of Hartford or the judicial district of Middlesex.

(J) If either the plaintiff or defendant resides in the town of New Milford, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of Danbury or the judicial district of Litchfield.

(b) Actions involving land. In all actions involving the title to land, for trespass to land and to foreclose or redeem mortgages or liens upon real property, civil process shall be made returnable to the judicial district where the real property is located, either entirely or in part, except:

(1) If the land is located in the town of Manchester, East Windsor, South Windsor or Enfield and either the plaintiff or the defendant resides in the town of Manchester, East Windsor, South Windsor or Enfield, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of Hartford or the judicial district of Tolland.

(2) If the land is located in the town of Plymouth and either the plaintiff or the defendant resides in the town of Plymouth, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of New Britain or the judicial district of Waterbury.

(3) If the land is located in the town of Bethany, Milford, West Haven or Woodbridge and either the plaintiff or the defendant resides in the town of Bethany, Milford, West Haven or Woodbridge, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of New Haven or the judicial district of Ansonia-Milford.

(4) If the land is located in the town of Southbury and either the plaintiff or the defendant resides in the town of Southbury, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of Ansonia-Milford or the judicial district of Waterbury.

(5) If the land is located in the town of Weston, Westport or Wilton and either the plaintiff or the defendant resides in any one of these towns, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of Stamford-Norwalk or the judicial district of Fairfield.

(6) If the land is located in the town of Watertown or Woodbury and either the plaintiff or the defendant resides in the town of Watertown or Woodbury, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of Waterbury or the judicial district of Litchfield.

(7) If the land is located in the town of Avon, Canton, Farmington or Simsbury and either the plaintiff or the defendant resides in the town of Avon, Canton, Farmington or Simsbury, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of Hartford or the judicial district of New Britain.

(8) If the land is located in the town of Newington, Rocky Hill or Wethersfield and either the plaintiff or the defendant resides in the town of Newington, Rocky Hill or Wethersfield, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of Hartford or the judicial district of New Britain, except for actions where venue is in the geographical area as provided in section 51-348 or in rules of court.

(9) If the land is located in the town of New Milford and either the plaintiff or the defendant resides in the town of New Milford, the action may be made returnable at the option of the plaintiff to either the judicial district of Danbury or the judicial district of Litchfield.

(c) Actions by a corporation. In all actions by a corporation, except actions made returnable under subsection (b), (d) or (g) of this section, civil process shall be made returnable as follows:

(1) If the plaintiff is either a domestic corporation or a United States corporation and the defendant is a resident, either (A) to the judicial district where the plaintiff has an office or place of business or (B) to the judicial district where the defendant resides.

(2) If the plaintiff is either a domestic corporation or a United States corporation and the defendant is a corporation, domestic or foreign, to the judicial district where (A) the plaintiff has an office or place of business, (B) the injury occurred, (C) the transaction occurred, or (D) the property is located or lawfully attached.

(3) If the plaintiff is a foreign corporation and the defendant is a resident, to the judicial district where the defendant resides.

(4) If the plaintiff is a foreign corporation and the defendant is a corporation, domestic or foreign, to the judicial district where (A) the injury occurred, (B) the transaction occurred, or (C) the property is located or lawfully attached.

(d) Actions involving consumer transactions. In all actions involving consumer transactions, civil process shall be made returnable to the judicial district where the consumer resides or where the transaction occurred. For the purposes of this subsection, consumer transaction means a transaction in which a natural person obligates himself to pay for goods sold or leased, services rendered or moneys loaned for personal, family or household purposes.

(e) Actions for partition or sale. In all actions for the partition or sale of any property, civil process shall be made returnable to the judicial district where the parties, or one of them, reside; but, if none of them resides in this state, then to the judicial district where all or a part of the property is located.

(f) Actions by nonresident fiduciary. In all actions by a nonresident executor, trustee under a will or administrator, civil process shall be made returnable to the same judicial district as would be proper if the plaintiff resided in the town where the court of probate which granted administration is held.

(g) Small claims matters. Venue for small claims matters shall be at Superior Court facilities designated by the Chief Court Administrator to hear such matters. In small claims matters, civil process shall be made returnable to the Superior Court facility designated by the Chief Court Administrator to serve the small claims area where the plaintiff resides, where the defendant resides or is doing business or where the transaction or injury occurred. If the plaintiff is a domestic corporation, a United States corporation, a foreign corporation or a limited liability company, civil process shall be made returnable to a Superior Court facility designated by the Chief Court Administrator to serve the small claims area where the defendant resides or is doing business or where the transaction or injury occurred.

(1949 Rev., S. 7747; 1961, P.A. 517, S. 37; 1972, P.A. 165, S. 9; June, 1972, P.A. 1, S. 20; P.A. 74-183, S. 79, 291; P.A. 75-406, S. 2, 11; 75-578, S. 14; P.A. 76-65; 76-380; S. 10, 12; 76-436, S. 122, 681; P.A. 77-396; 77-576, S. 4, 65; P.A. 78-280, S. 97, 127; P.A. 80-173; 80-201, S. 6, 9; P.A. 81-241, S. 1; P.A. 82-248, S. 153; P.A. 83-96, S. 1, 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-25, S. 6, 9; P.A. 85-239, S. 2, 3, 6; P.A. 88-230, S. 8, 12; P.A. 89-138, S. 1–3; 89-141, S. 3, 4, 7; P.A. 90-98, S. 1, 2; P.A. 91-42, S. 1–3; P.A. 93-142, S. 7, 8; P.A. 95-220, S. 4–6; P.A. 97-40, S. 9, 10, 18; P.A. 98-81, S. 14, 20; P.A. 00-191, S. 8, 16; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9, S. 58, 131; P.A. 02-132, S. 75; P.A. 04-127, S. 9.)

History: 1961 act referred to actions brought before circuit court rather than to those brought before justices of the peace; 1972 acts added references to actions brought before superior court, effective September 5, 1972; P.A. 74-183 excepted summary process actions from existing provisions, deleted references to actions brought before circuit court, reflecting transfer of its functions to common pleas court and added Subsec. (b) re small claims actions, effective December 31, 1974; P.A. 75-406 added provision re venue in paternity actions in Subsec. (b); P.A. 75-578 added reference to actions brought before court of common pleas in judicial district of Ansonia-Milford in Subsec. (a); P.A. 76-65 specified venue in small claims actions in geographical area where defendant resides or does business or where transaction occurred rather than in geographical area where one of the parties resides or does business or where, if a foreign or domestic corporation, such corporation has office or place of business; P.A. 76-380 added exception re Secs. 51-348 and Subsec. (b) in Subsec. (a); P.A. 76-436 amended section to reflect transfer of all trial jurisdiction to superior court, deleting references to actions brought to common pleas court, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-396 added Subsec. (d) re venue for consumer transactions; P.A. 77-576 essentially replaced previous general provisions with specific and detailed provisions, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 78-280 rephrased Subsec. (d) for consistency with P.A. 77-576 amendments; Sec. 52-42 transferred to Sec. 51-345 in the 1977 Court Reorganization Supplement; P.A. 80-173 applied Subsec. (a)(3)(E) to residents of Bethany and Woodbridge; P.A. 80-201 added Subsecs. (a)(3)(H) and (b)(8) re actions returnable to judicial districts of Fairfield or Stamford-Norwalk; P.A. 81-241 amended Subsec. (a) by providing in Subdiv. (3)(A) that if the plaintiff or defendant lives in East Windsor or South Windsor, the action may be returned to the Hartford-New Britain or Tolland judicial district, and amended Subsec. (b) by providing in Subdiv. (1) that if the land is located in East Windsor or South Windsor and the plaintiff or defendant resides in either of those towns the action may be returned to the Hartford-New Britain or Tolland judicial district; P.A. 82-248 rephrased the section, amended Subsec. (b) by replacing real “estate” with real “property”, added Subsec. (e) concerning actions for partition or sale which was formerly Sec. 52-18 and added Subsec. (f) concerning actions by a nonresident fiduciary which is similar to former Sec. 52-21; P.A. 83-96 amended Subsecs. (a)(3)(A) and (b)(1) by adding the town of Enfield; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-25 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) by deleting provisions re the option of the plaintiff to return the action to either the New Haven or Middlesex judicial district when either party resides in Wallingford or Meriden, and re the option of the plaintiff to return the action to either the New Haven or Waterbury judicial district when either party resides in Cheshire, and relettering the remaining subdivisions and subparagraphs as necessary; P.A. 85-239 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting provision permitting the plaintiff to return the action to either the Litchfield or Waterbury judicial district when either party resides in Thomaston, relettering Subdiv. (3)(F) as (3)(E), and adding new Subdiv. (3)(F) permitting the plaintiff to return the action to either the Waterbury or Litchfield judicial district when either party resides in Watertown or Woodbury, and amended Subsec. (b) by deleting provision permitting plaintiff to return the action to either the Litchfield or Waterbury judicial district if the land is located and either party resides in Thomaston, renumbering Subdiv. (6) as Subdiv. (5) and adding new Subdiv. (6) permitting the plaintiff to return the action to either the Waterbury or Litchfield judicial district if the land is located and either party resides in Watertown or Woodbury; P.A. 88-230 amended Subsecs. (a)(3)(A) and (b)(1) to change reference to the judicial district of Hartford-New Britain to the judicial district of Hartford, amended Subsecs. (a)(3)(B) and (b)(2) to change reference to the judicial district of Hartford-New Britain to the judicial district of New Britain, amended Subsec. (a) by adding Subdiv. (3)(G) permitting the plaintiff to return action to either the Hartford or New Britain judicial district when either party resides in Avon, Canton, Farmington or Simsbury and Subdiv. (3)(H) permitting the plaintiff to return action to either the Hartford or New Britain judicial district when either party resides in Newington except when venue is in the geographical area, and amended Subsec. (b) by adding Subdiv. (7) permitting the plaintiff to return action to either the Hartford or New Britain judicial district if the land is located and either party resides in Avon, Canton, Farmington or Simsbury and Subdiv. (8) permitting the plaintiff to return action to either the Hartford or New Britain judicial district if the land is located and either party resides in Newington except when venue is in the geographical area, all changes effective September 1, 1991; P.A. 89-138 amended Subsec. (a) by adding Subdiv. (3)(G) permitting plaintiff to return action to either Hartford-New Britain or Middlesex judicial district when either party resides in Cromwell, and amended Subsec. (a) by adding Subdiv. (3)(I) permitting plaintiff to return action to either Hartford or Middlesex judicial district when either party resides in Cromwell; P.A. 89-141 amended Subsec. (a)(3)(C) by permitting the plaintiff to return the action to either the New Haven or Ansonia-Milford judicial district if either party resides in West Haven and amended Subsec. (b)(3) by permitting the plaintiff to return the action to either the New Haven or Ansonia-Milford judicial district if the land is located and either party resides in Bethany, West Haven or Woodbridge; P.A. 90-98 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1991, to September 1, 1993; P.A. 91-42 amended Subsec. (b)(5) by deleting the plaintiff’s option to return the action to either the judicial district of Stamford-Norwalk or Fairfield when the land is located in the town of Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk or Stamford; P.A. 93-142 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1993, to September 1, 1996, effective June 14, 1993; P.A. 95-220 changed the effective date of P.A. 88-230 from September 1, 1996, to September 1, 1998, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 97-40 amended Subsec. (a) by expanding exception to Subsecs. (b) to (g), inclusive, amended Subsec. (c) by adding exception for Subsecs. (d) or (g) of this section, amended Subsec. (d) by changing “defendant” to “consumer” and added Subsec. (g) re return of civil process in small claims matters, effective September 1, 1997; P.A. 98-81 amended Subsec. (a)(3)(H) by adding “Rocky Hill or Wethersfield” and amended Subsec. (b)(8) by adding “Rocky Hill or Wethersfield”, effective May 22, 1998; P.A. 00-191 amended Subsec. (g) by adding provision re return of process where plaintiff is a corporation or limited liability company, effective September 1, 2000; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-9 amended Subsec. (g) to add provision that venue for small claims matters shall be at Superior Court facilities designated by the Chief Court Administrator to hear such matters, specify that civil process in small claims matters shall be made returnable to “the” Superior Court facility, rather than “a” Superior Court facility, designated by the Chief Court Administrator to serve the small claims area and delete requirement that the small claims area be “within the boundaries of the judicial district” where the plaintiff resides, the defendant resides or is doing business or the transaction or injury occurred, effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 02-132 amended Subsec. (g) by deleting “within the boundaries of the judicial district” re small claims area and making technical changes, effective June 7, 2002; P.A. 04-127 added Subsec. (a)(3)(J) re return of process where plaintiff or defendant resides in town of New Milford and Subsec. (b)(9) re return of process where land is located in town of New Milford.

Title to land not in question in foreclosure suit. 6 C. 198; 27 C. 564. Nor in action for mesne profits. 1 D. 263. Suits against corporations may be brought where any stockholder lives. 13 C. 202. Attachment made before receipt of process is insufficient. 43 C. 183. Replevin is in the nature of a transitory action. 66 C. 549. District court cannot determine the title to real estate which is not within the district. 72 C. 698. Court of common pleas in the judicial district of Waterbury can settle title to land only if it lies within the district. Id. Scire facias on judgment must be brought in county where judgment was rendered. 74 C. 89. It has concurrent jurisdiction with court of common pleas of New Haven county where plaintiff lives in the district and defendant in New Haven. 96 C. 283. In case of necessary joinder of parties if one plaintiff or defendant resides in one county and the rest in another, action may be brought in either county; but nonresident receiver cannot join defendant stockholders residing in different counties where liability of each is separate. 121 C. 220. See note to section 52-102. Cited. 130 C. 326. Cited. 146 C. 370. Cited. 153 C. 131 (fn2).

The process of attachment with respect to an in personam judgment is ancillary to and distinct from the process of service and invalidity of attachment does not abate the entire action. 11 CS 261. Declaratory judgment is not an ordinary civil action but is an action sui generis. 12 CS 276. Service on motor vehicle commissioner at his office where both parties are nonresidents establishes venue in Hartford. The personal residence of the agent on whom substituted service is to be made is immaterial. 18 CS 442. Cited. 20 CS 350. Legislative history discussed. 28 CS 451.

Annotations to present section:

Cited. 235 C. 595.

Cited. 10 CA 45.

Subsec. (a):

Subdiv. (1): Motion to dismiss denied; where court has jurisdiction but no venue, and no other court has venue, plaintiff’s right to be heard prevails and court has an obligation to hear the case. 46 CA 110.