Connecticut Public Records

To look up a divorce in Connecticut, search the **Superior Court** in the judicial district where the divorce was finalized. **Connecticut Judicial Branch Civil/Family Case Look-up** at https://www.jud.ct.gov/jud2.htm or https://www.jud.ct.gov/lookup.htm — free statewide search by party name or docket number; covers all 13 Judicial Districts. **Family-law branch courthouses**: Hartford (95 Washington St), New Haven (235 Church St), Stamford-Norwalk (123 Hoyt St), Bridgeport (1061 Main St), Waterbury, New London, Litchfield, Middlesex (Middletown), Tolland (Rockville), Windham (Danielson), Danbury, Ansonia-Milford (Milford), and Putnam Geographical Area. **Search returns**: case number, parties, file date, disposition (Decree of Dissolution = divorce granted; Pending = case still active). **Certified copy of divorce decree**: order at the Clerk's office where the case was filed — **$25 per certified copy** under C.G.S. § 52-259a; non-certified $1 first page + $0.50 each additional. **CDPH does NOT issue divorce certificates in Connecticut** — Connecticut, like California for post-1984 divorces, has no statewide divorce certificate; the Superior Court Clerk's certified copy IS the legal document. **Filing fee** for a new divorce: **$360** under C.G.S. § 52-259; fee waiver on JD-FM-75 for eligible filers. **Residency requirement** under C.G.S. § 46b-44: at least 12 continuous months in CT before filing (with limited exceptions). **Sealed cases** (juvenile-related, certain protective-order and DV-related matters) are not publicly visible. **Apostille** for international use: certified copy from Clerk first, then Connecticut Secretary of State at https://portal.ct.gov/SOTS, 165 Capitol Ave, Hartford CT 06106. Sources: Connecticut Judicial Branch, C.G.S. §§ 46b-44, 52-259, 52-259a.

Outstanding warrants in Connecticut are issued by the courts and held by the law-enforcement agency that will serve them. **Three reliable sources**: (1) **Connecticut Judicial Branch Criminal/Motor Vehicle Case Look-up** at https://www.jud.ct.gov/crim.htm — every filed case shows whether a bench warrant has been issued for failure to appear. Free, name-based search. (2) **Local arresting agency**: city/town police department or Connecticut State Police troop (Troops A–L) — call the records line directly. **CSP HQ** at 1111 Country Club Rd, Middletown CT 06457, phone (860) 685-8190. **Major-city PDs**: Bridgeport PD (203) 581-5100; Hartford PD (860) 757-4000; New Haven PD (203) 946-6304; Stamford PD (203) 977-4444; Waterbury PD (203) 574-6911; Norwalk PD (203) 854-3000; Danbury PD (203) 797-4611. (3) **CT Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) Most Wanted** at https://portal.ct.gov/DESPP — for serious statewide fugitives. (4) **U.S. Marshals Profiled Fugitives** at https://www.justice.gov/action-center/identify-our-most-wanted-fugitives — federal warrants on Connecticut soil. **What won't show up**: confidential warrants in active investigations, sealed indictments, juvenile-court warrants. **Quash a warrant**: most courts allow a Motion to Quash that re-sets a hearing date — typical motion fee. **Strong recommendation**: if a warrant might be out for you, retain a defense attorney before walking into a station. Connecticut Public Defender at https://portal.ct.gov/Division-of-Public-Defender-Services provides free counsel for the indigent. **Voluntary surrender** on planned terms — bond posted in advance — beats a traffic-stop arrest. Sources: Connecticut Judicial Branch, CT State Police, DESPP, U.S. Marshals, CT Public Defender.

Connecticut court records run through the **Connecticut Judicial Branch** — a unified statewide system (13 Judicial Districts). **Free public case search** at https://www.jud.ct.gov/jud2.htm. (1) **Civil / Family / Housing / Small Claims Look-up** at https://www.jud.ct.gov/lookup.htm — search by party name, docket number, or attorney. (2) **Criminal / Motor Vehicle Look-up** at https://www.jud.ct.gov/crim.htm — search by name; **shows each criminal and motor-vehicle conviction within the past 10 years** including unvacated convictions. (3) **Centralized Small Claims** for claims under $5,000 — accessible via the same portal. (4) **Supreme and Appellate** opinions and case lookup at https://www.jud.ct.gov. (5) **Connecticut E-Services** at https://eservices.jud.ct.gov — for attorneys and self-represented parties to e-file, view docket sheets, and access docs. (6) **Document copies**: order at the Clerk's office at the courthouse where the case was filed. **Typical fees** (C.G.S. § 52-259a): non-certified $1 first page + $0.50 each additional; certified copy **$25** per document. **In-person review is FREE** at public-access terminals. (7) **Federal cases** (separate): PACER at https://pacer.uscourts.gov, $0.10/page (capped $3/document); U.S. District Court District of Connecticut at 450 Main St, Hartford CT 06103. (8) **What's not visible**: sealed cases (juvenile, certain DV orders, expunged matters under C.G.S. § 54-142a), confidential matters. (9) **Older cases** (pre-2000) often require an in-person archive request. (10) **Third-party paid**: connecticut.courtcasefinder.com. **Self-Help**: https://www.jud.ct.gov/selfhelp. **CT FOIA**: C.G.S. §§ 1-200 et seq. Sources: Connecticut Judicial Branch, CT E-Services, PACER, C.G.S. §§ 52-259a, 54-142a, 1-200.

Recent arrests in Connecticut show up in three layers, in order of speed. (1) **Within hours — arresting agency**: each Connecticut city/town police department or **Connecticut State Police (CSP) Troop** maintains a daily blotter or press log. Major-city PDs: **Bridgeport PD** at https://www.bridgeportct.gov/government/departments/city-clerk; **Hartford PD** at https://www.hartfordct.gov/Government/Departments/HPD; **New Haven PD** at https://www.cityofnewhaven.com/police/; **Stamford PD**; **Waterbury PD**; **Norwalk PD**; **Danbury PD**. Connecticut State Police troop barracks (Troops A through L) cover unincorporated areas and state highways at https://portal.ct.gov/DESPP. (2) **Within 24–72 hours — court records**: Connecticut Judicial Branch Criminal/Motor Vehicle Case Look-up at https://www.jud.ct.gov/crim.htm — once charges are filed, the case appears here. **Each criminal and motor-vehicle conviction within the past 10 years is shown** including unvacated convictions. Free public search by name or docket. (3) **Connecticut DOC inmate locator** at https://portal.ct.gov/doc — for sentenced state inmates. **Federal Bureau of Prisons** at https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/. (4) **Authoritative personal record**: CT State Police Bureau of Identification (SPBI) at https://portal.ct.gov/despp/division-of-emergency-service-and-public-protection/reports-and-records/state-police-bureau-of-identification — fingerprint-based criminal history check, **$15 fingerprint fee + $75 records search fee** (total $90); the records-search fee is waived prior to July 1, 2029 for personal-review applicants under SB 343 (2026). (5) **Connecticut Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)** — C.G.S. §§ 1-200 et seq.; agencies must respond promptly (typically 4 business days under FOIC guidance). Booking photos and arrest reports are generally public. **For employment**: FCRA-compliant vendors (Checkr, Sterling, GoodHire) wrap CT court, FBI, county, and MVR. Sources: CT Judicial Branch, CT State Police SPBI, CT DOC, Federal BOP, SB 343 (2026), C.G.S. § 1-200.

Divorce records in Connecticut are filed at the **Superior Court** in the judicial district where the divorce was finalized. CT has 13 Judicial Districts. (1) **Connecticut Judicial Branch Civil/Family Case Look-up** at https://www.jud.ct.gov/jud2.htm — free public name search; covers Civil, Family, Housing cases statewide. Search by party name or docket number. (2) **Family-law branches** (the principal courthouses for dissolution actions): Hartford Superior Court at 95 Washington St, Hartford CT 06106, phone (860) 548-2700; New Haven at 235 Church St, New Haven CT 06510, phone (203) 503-6800; Stamford-Norwalk at 123 Hoyt St, Stamford CT 06905; Bridgeport at 1061 Main St, Bridgeport CT 06604; Waterbury, New London, Litchfield, Middlesex, Tolland, Windham, Danbury, Ansonia-Milford, and the Putnam G.A. (3) **Certified copy of divorce decree**: order at the Clerk's office at the courthouse where the case was filed — typical fee **$25 per certified copy** under C.G.S. § 52-259a; non-certified copies $1 first page + $0.50 each additional. (4) **Connecticut Department of Public Health Vital Records** does NOT issue divorce certificates (no statewide divorce certificate in CT) — copies come ONLY from the Superior Court Clerk. (5) **Filing fees** for new divorces: **$360 statutory filing fee** for dissolution of marriage; both parties' fees waivable on JD-FM-75 if eligible. (6) **Sealed cases** (juvenile-related, certain protective-order and DV-related matters) are not publicly visible. (7) **Apostille** for international use: certified copy from Clerk first, then Connecticut Secretary of State at https://portal.ct.gov/SOTS, 165 Capitol Ave, Hartford CT 06106. Sources: Connecticut Judicial Branch, CT Superior Court, C.G.S. § 52-259a.

Arrest records for Putnam, Connecticut come from one of two agencies. (1) **Putnam Police Department** for arrests inside Putnam city limits — 189 Church St, Putnam CT 06260, phone (860) 928-6565, https://www.putnampolice.com/. PPD Records Unit handles incident reports, arrest reports, and FOIA requests. (2) **Connecticut State Police, Troop D** for arrests in unincorporated areas of Windham County and on state highways — 540 Wauregan Rd, Danielson CT 06239, phone (860) 779-4900. CSP Troop D covers most of NE Connecticut (Windham County and parts of Tolland). (3) **CT Department of Correction (DOC)** for custody — Connecticut abolished county sheriffs in 2000, so DOC runs all pre-trial and post-conviction custody. **DOC Inmate Search** at https://portal.ct.gov/DOC. **Brooklyn Correctional Institution** at 59 Hartford Rd, Brooklyn CT 06234, phone (860) 779-7100, is the closest DOC facility to Putnam. (4) **Court records** for arrests that produced a charge — Connecticut Judicial Branch at https://www.jud.ct.gov/crim.htm — free public name search. **Putnam Geographical Area #11** at 155 Church St, Putnam CT 06260, phone (860) 928-7749, hears Putnam-area cases (felonies typically transfer to Danielson Superior Court at 120 School St). (5) **Personal authoritative record**: CT State Police SPBI fingerprint-based check — $15 fingerprint + $75 records search ($90 total); **$75 fee WAIVED for personal-review applicants prior to July 1, 2029 under SB 343 (2026)**. **CT FOIA** (C.G.S. §§ 1-200 et seq.): 4 business day response. **Body-cam footage** under C.G.S. § 29-6d. **For employment**: FCRA-compliant vendors (Checkr, Sterling, GoodHire) wrap CT court, FBI, MVR. Sources: Putnam PD, CT State Police Troop D, CT DOC, Connecticut Judicial Branch, CT State Police SPBI, SB 343 (2026), C.G.S. §§ 1-200, 29-6d.