Connecticut Case Commentaries

Hamilton v. Hamilton: Motion Hearings Are “Short Calendar Matters” Under Practice Book § 11-19, and Sua Sponte Judicial Notice in Custody Cases Requires Notice and an अवसर to Be Heard

Date: May 20, 2026

Hamilton v. Hamilton: Motion Hearings Are “Short Calendar Matters” Under Practice Book § 11-19, and Sua Sponte Judicial Notice in Custody Cases Requires Notice and an Opportunity to Be Heard 1....

State v. Brown: Remmer Presumption Limited to Merits-Related Juror Contact; Robust Canvass Supports Denial of Mistrial

Date: May 19, 2026

State v. Brown: Remmer Presumption Limited to Merits-Related Juror Contact; Robust Canvass Supports Denial of Mistrial Introduction In State v. Brown (Conn. May 19, 2026), the Supreme Court of...

Contract-First Review of PURA-Approved Rate Settlements: Courts Must Interpret Settlement Language Before Deferring to PURA

Date: May 19, 2026

Contract-First Review of PURA-Approved Rate Settlements: Courts Must Interpret Settlement Language Before Deferring to PURA Case: The Connecticut Light and Power Company v. Public Utilities...

State v. Lawrence M.: Joinder Burden on the State and Permissible “Grooming” Hypotheticals Without Complainant-Specific Vouching

Date: May 6, 2026

State v. Lawrence M.: Joinder Burden on the State and Permissible “Grooming” Hypotheticals Without Complainant-Specific Vouching 1. Introduction In State of Connecticut v. Lawrence M. (SC 21032)...

State v. Baez: When Eyewitness “Flight” Evidence and Retreat Defeat Self-Defense, and When Intent-Charge Errors Are Not Plain Error

Date: May 6, 2026

State v. Baez: When Eyewitness “Flight” Evidence and Retreat Defeat Self-Defense, and When Intent-Charge Errors Are Not Plain Error Introduction In State v. Baez (Conn. Sup. Ct., officially released...

State v. Bard: Unpreserved Severance Claims Are Unreviewable; Articulation Cannot Create Preservation; No Duty to Sever Sua Sponte Under Practice Book § 41-18

Date: May 6, 2026

State v. Bard: Unpreserved Severance Claims Are Unreviewable; Articulation Cannot Create Preservation; No Duty to Sever Sua Sponte Under Practice Book § 41-18 1. Introduction In State v. Bard (Conn....

Connex Credit Union v. Madgic: UCC Article 9 and RISFA Notice-Damages Claims Are Remedial and Governed by the Three-Year Tort Limitations Period

Date: Apr 29, 2026

Connex Credit Union v. Madgic: UCC Article 9 and RISFA Notice-Damages Claims Are Remedial and Governed by the Three-Year Tort Limitations Period Court: Supreme Court of Connecticut Date: April 28,...

State v. Roberts: Boykin Does Not Require Explicit On-the-Record Enumeration of Each “Boykin Right” if the Totality of the Plea Record Shows a Knowing and Voluntary Plea

Date: Apr 29, 2026

State v. Roberts: Boykin Does Not Require Explicit On-the-Record Enumeration of Each “Boykin Right” if the Totality of the Plea Record Shows a Knowing and Voluntary Plea Court: Supreme Court of...

State v. Roberts (Ecker, J., concurrence): Re-centering Boykin—A Mandatory, Defendant-Facing Checklist Approach to Guilty Plea Canvasses

Date: Apr 29, 2026

State v. Roberts (Ecker, J., concurrence): Re-centering Boykin—A Mandatory, Defendant-Facing Checklist Approach to Guilty Plea Canvasses 1. Introduction In State v. Roberts (Concurrence) (Conn. Apr....

Gratuitous Agency Hearings Do Not Create a “Contested Case”: Appealability Turns on a Statutory/Regulatory Hearing Requirement Tied to the Challenged Determination

Date: Apr 29, 2026

Gratuitous Agency Hearings Do Not Create a “Contested Case”: Appealability Turns on a Statutory/Regulatory Hearing Requirement Tied to the Challenged Determination Introduction In The Connecticut...

Brady Imputed Within a Single State’s Attorney’s Office: Duty to Learn of a Witness’ Prior False Testimony in Unrelated Litigation (But Relief Requires Materiality)

Date: Apr 22, 2026

Brady Imputed Within a Single State’s Attorney’s Office: Duty to Learn of a Witness’ Prior False Testimony in Unrelated Litigation (But Relief Requires Materiality) Case: Vega v. Commissioner of...

State v. Franqui: Corroboration Limits Newsome and Reaffirms Substantive Use of Whelan Statements and Excited Utterances

Date: Apr 21, 2026

State v. Franqui: Corroboration Limits Newsome and Reaffirms Substantive Use of Whelan Statements and Excited Utterances I. Introduction In State v. Franqui (Conn. Apr. 21, 2026), the Supreme Court...

Dodge v. Commissioner of Motor Vehicles (Conn. 2026) — Employer’s § 31-293(a) Lien Reaches Tort Settlements Attributable to Nonoccupational Causation When a Single Occupational Disease Is Fully Compensable

Date: Apr 20, 2026

Employer’s § 31-293(a) Lien Reaches Tort Settlements Attributable to Nonoccupational Causation When a Single Occupational Disease Is Fully Compensable 1. Introduction Case: Elizabeth M. Dodge,...

State v. Franqui: Familiar-Witness Identifications Do Not Trigger Plain-Error Reversal for Omitted Ledbetter Instructions; No Blanket Mandatory Eyewitness Charge

Date: Apr 20, 2026

State v. Franqui: Familiar-Witness Identifications Do Not Trigger Plain-Error Reversal for Omitted Ledbetter Instructions; No Blanket Mandatory Eyewitness Charge 1. Introduction In State v. Franqui...

License-Withdrawal Denials Are Not UAPA-Appealable “Contested Cases” Absent a Statutory Hearing Right (and Declaratory-Ruling Theories Can Be Waived)

Date: Apr 16, 2026

License-Withdrawal Denials Are Not UAPA-Appealable “Contested Cases” Absent a Statutory Hearing Right (and Declaratory-Ruling Theories Can Be Waived) I. Introduction In Clearview Electric, Inc. v....

Truth as a Complete Defense Under Rule 8.2(a) and Record-Bound Review of Attorney Discipline

Date: Apr 8, 2026

Truth as a Complete Defense Under Rule 8.2(a) and Record-Bound Review of Attorney Discipline 1. Introduction This dissent in Mills v. Statewide Grievance Committee addresses attorney discipline...

Mills v. Statewide Grievance Committee — Objective-Evidence Requirement for Rule 8.2(a) Attacks on Judicial Integrity

Date: Apr 8, 2026

Objective-Evidence Requirement for Rule 8.2(a) Attacks on Judicial Integrity in Filed Motions Case: Mills v. Statewide Grievance Committee (SC 21090) Court: Supreme Court of Connecticut Officially...

No Implied “Record of” Disability Finding from a “Regarded As” Finding in Connecticut Fair-Housing Accommodation Claims

Date: Mar 29, 2026

No Implied “Record of” Disability Finding from a “Regarded As” Finding in Connecticut Fair-Housing Accommodation Claims 1. Introduction In Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities ex rel....

Recklessness Subsumes General Intent: No Plain Error for Omitting a Stand-Alone General Intent Instruction in § 53a-55 (a) (3) Firearm Manslaughter

Date: Mar 1, 2026

Recklessness Subsumes General Intent: No Plain Error for Omitting a Stand-Alone General Intent Instruction in § 53a-55 (a) (3) Firearm Manslaughter Introduction In State v. Anthony V. (Conn. Mar. 3,...

Post-Election Application of Newly Adopted Charter Minority-Representation Rules Is a “Ruling of an Election Official” Under §§ 9-328 and 9-371b

Date: Feb 22, 2026

Post-Election Application of Newly Adopted Charter Minority-Representation Rules Is a “Ruling of an Election Official” Under §§ 9-328 and 9-371b I. Introduction Amadasun v. Armstrong, Town Clerk of...