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Connecticut

Categorical Right To Counsel

Discretionary Appointment Of Counsel

Right Or Appointment Is Qualified

No Such Proceeding

No Authorization, But Relevant Materials

Other

Recent Activity

Right to Counsel Status

Categorical Right To Counsel

There is a right to counsel without qualification for all indigent individuals in this type of case (except that the individual may be required to request counsel).

Discretionary Appointment Of Counsel

Courts are permitted but not required to appoint counsel for any indigent individual in this type of case. A request may be required.

Right Or Appointment Is Qualified

The established right to counsel or discretionary appointment of counsel is limited in some way, including: the only authority comes from a lower/intermediate court decision or a city government, not a high court or state legislature; a case has cast doubt on prior authority; a statute is ambiguous; or the right or discretionary appointment is not for all individuals or proceedings within that type of case.

No Such Proceeding

This state has no law creating a judicial proceeding of this type.

No Authorization, But Relevant Materials

While this state does not provide for or require appointment of counsel with respect to the given subject area, it does have something (such as a report or bar policy) that supports the right to or appointment of counsel for this subject area.

Other

Because the "Other subject areas” category can include developments from different subject areas that do not work the same way as each other, a blanket categorization of this category is not possible.

Denies

This state has law explicitly stating that there is no right to counsel for this area.

Categorical

Abuse/Neglect/Dependency - Accused Parents

Legislation

Key Development

June 26, 2023

Right to counsel

Connecticut statutes and court rule guarantee counsel for indigent parents in abuse/neglect proceedings, and allows appointment for the appeal.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Categorical

Abuse/Neglect/Dependency - Children

Legislation

Key Development

June 26, 2023

Right to counsel

The court must appoint counsel for a minor in an abuse/neglect case, and can appoint counsel for the appeal.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Doesn't Affect

All Basic Human Needs

Miscellaneous

July 25, 2017

NCCRC Coordinator appears on WNPR's "Where We Live" program

NCCRC Coordinator John Pollock was on WNPR's "Where We Live" program to discuss the right to counsel in civil cases.

Appointment of Counsel: Doesn't Affect

Qualified: No

NCCRC Coordinator John Pollock appeared in the program.

Legislation

September 1, 2018

Acting on CT legislative task force suggestions, Legislature enacts DV representation pilot

A new DV representation pilot follows a recommendation of the legislative Task Force to Improve Access to Counsel in Civil Matters.

Appointment of Counsel: Doesn't Affect

Qualified: No

NCCRC staff provided research support for the task force bill and advised members of the task force.

Court Rule or Initiative

January 11, 2016

CT Chief Justice, State Bar President cite importance of civil right to counsel

The incoming CT State Bar President and the CT Supreme Court Chief Justice say a civil right to counsel must be examined.

Appointment of Counsel: Doesn't Affect

Qualified: No

Categorical

Civil Commitment

Legislation

Key Development

Right to counsel

Adult indigent respondents have the right to counsel in mental health and other commitments, as do some minors in certain commitment matters.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Categorical

Housing - Evictions

Legislation

Key Development

January 15, 2025

All about Connecticut's eviction right to counsel

In May 2021, Connecticut became the third state to enact a statewide right to counsel for indigent tenants facing eviction.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

The NCCRC has provided technical support to the campaign and testified on HB 6531.

Categorical

Termination of Parental Rights (State) - Birth Parents

Legislation

Key Development

June 26, 2023

Right to counsel

A Connecticut statute guarantees counsel for indigent parents in termination proceedings who appear without counsel.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Categorical

Termination of Parental Rights (State) - Children

Legislation

Key Development

June 26, 2023

Right to counsel

Minors have a right to counsel in termination of parental rights proceedings.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Categorical

Abuse/Neglect/Dependency - Accused Parents

Legislation

Key Development

June 26, 2023

Right to counsel

Connecticut statutes and court rule guarantee counsel for indigent parents in abuse/neglect proceedings, and allows appointment for the appeal.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Categorical

Abuse/Neglect/Dependency - Children

Legislation

Key Development

June 26, 2023

Right to counsel

The court must appoint counsel for a minor in an abuse/neglect case, and can appoint counsel for the appeal.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Categorical

Adult Protective Proceedings - Protected Person

Legislation

Key Development

Right to counsel

Services may only be provided consensually, but the right to counsel attaches in related guardianships or conservatorships.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

No Such Proceeding

Bypass of Parental Input into Abortion - Minor (Pre-Dobbs)

Legislation

No such proceeding

There is no requirement that a minor obtain parental input prior to having an abortion.

Appointment of Counsel: No Such Proceeding

Qualified: No

Qualified

Child Support Establishment

Litigation

Key Development

Right to counsel

A lower court held there is a right to counsel in child support determination hearings if paternity is established.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: Yes

Categorical

Civil Commitment

Legislation

Key Development

Right to counsel

Adult indigent respondents have the right to counsel in mental health and other commitments, as do some minors in certain commitment matters.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Qualified

Civil Contempt in Family Court

Litigation

Key Development

Right to counsel

A federal court and several Connecticut state courts have found a right to counsel for indigent defendants in civil contempt proceedings.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: Yes

Legislation

Key Development

Right to counsel

There is a right to counsel for indigent defendants in family law contempt cases if incarceration is a possibility.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Discretionary

Custody Disputes - Children

Legislation

Key Development

Discretionary appointment of counsel

A court may appoint counsel for the child in a dissolution proceeding.

Appointment of Counsel: Discretionary

Qualified: No

Categorical

Guardianship/Conservatorship of Adults - Protected Person

Legislation

Key Development

Right to counsel

There is a right to counsel for indigent respondents in conservatorship proceedings, including the review proceedings, and guardianships.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Qualified

Guardianship/Conservatorship of Children - Child (incomplete)

Legislation

Key Development

Right to Counsel - Certain minors in guardianship cases

Minors in guardianship proceedings may be appointed counsel, unless abuse or neglect is alleged, in which case counsel is required.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: Yes

Categorical

Guardianship/Conservatorship of Children - Parent or Guardian

Legislation

Key Development

Right to Counsel

Indigent parents have the right to counsel in proceedings to remove them as guardian and to appoint a permanent guardian of their child.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Categorical

Housing - Evictions

Legislation

Key Development

January 15, 2025

All about Connecticut's eviction right to counsel

In May 2021, Connecticut became the third state to enact a statewide right to counsel for indigent tenants facing eviction.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

The NCCRC has provided technical support to the campaign and testified on HB 6531.

Qualified

Incarceration for Fees/Fines (incomplete)

Litigation

Key Development

Right to counsel

Several Connecticut state courts have found a right to counsel for indigent defendants in civil contempt proceedings.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: Yes

No Such Proceeding

Involuntary Medical Treatment (incomplete)

Legislation

No such proceeding

The state of Connecticut does not appear to provide a stand-alone process through which involuntary medical treatment can be ordered.

Appointment of Counsel: No Such Proceeding

Qualified: No

Categorical

Parentage - Defendant/Respondent

Legislation

Key Development

Right to counsel

Indigent putative fathers have a right to counsel in paternity proceedings.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Litigation

Key Development

Right to counsel

The Connecticut Supreme Court held there is a right to counsel under the state and federal constitutions in state-initiated paternity cases.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: Yes

Categorical

Quarantine/Isolation

Legislation

Key Development

Right to counsel

There is a right to counsel for indigent respondents in quarantine, isolation, and vaccination proceedings.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

No Such Proceeding

Sexually Dangerous Persons - Commitment

Legislation

No such proceeding

There is no procedure in the state for confinement of a sexually dangerous/violent person.

Appointment of Counsel: No Such Proceeding

Qualified: No

Categorical

Sterilization

Legislation

Key Development

Right to counsel

There is a right to counsel for proceedings to determine consent to sterilization.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Categorical

Termination of Parental Rights (Private) - Birth Parents

Legislation

Key Development

Right to counsel

A Connecticut statute guarantees counsel for indigent parent respondents in adoption proceedings.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Categorical

Termination of Parental Rights (Private) - Children

Legislation

Key Development

Right to counsel

Children are entitled to appointment of counsel in adoption proceedings.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Key Development

Right to counsel

Children may be appointed counsel in adoptions.

Appointment of Counsel: Discretionary

Qualified: No

Categorical

Termination of Parental Rights (State) - Birth Parents

Legislation

Key Development

June 26, 2023

Right to counsel

A Connecticut statute guarantees counsel for indigent parents in termination proceedings who appear without counsel.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

Categorical

Termination of Parental Rights (State) - Children

Legislation

Key Development

June 26, 2023

Right to counsel

Minors have a right to counsel in termination of parental rights proceedings.

Appointment of Counsel: Yes

Qualified: No

No Such Proceeding

Truancy - Petition Against Child

Legislation

No such proceeding

A 2017 change to the law removed truancy proceedings from court involvement.

Appointment of Counsel: No Such Proceeding

Qualified: No

The NCCRC works to advance the right to counsel for low-income people in civil cases involving basic human needs, such as housing, health, domestic violence, civil incarceration, and child custody.

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