| Superior Court Clerk | Superior Court Clerk — New Haven Judicial District |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | New Haven Judicial District Courthouse, 235 Church Street, New Haven, CT 06510 |
| Phone | New Haven J.D. Chief Clerk's Office: (203) 503-6800 |
| Hours | Confirm current hours with the clerk before visiting |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $1.00 per page for a plain (uncertified) copy made by the clerk (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-259(f)) |
| Certified copy fee | $25.00 for a certified copy of a judgment file, $15.00 for an uncertified copy of a judgment file, and $2.00 to certify other documents under seal (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-259(f)-(g)) |
New Haven County has no county government and no county clerk. Its towns are covered by three Superior Court judicial districts. The New Haven Judicial District serves Bethany, Branford, Cheshire, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Wallingford, and Woodbridge, with courthouses in both New Haven and Meriden. The Ansonia-Milford Judicial District serves Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Milford, Orange, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton, and West Haven. The Waterbury Judicial District serves Middlebury, Naugatuck, Prospect, Southbury, Waterbury, Watertown, Wolcott, and Woodbury.
Which office holds a case file depends entirely on where it was filed, not on any county-level office. Felony, divorce, custody, and larger civil matters are docketed at the judicial-district courthouse for the relevant district; misdemeanors and motor-vehicle cases are usually at a geographical area (G.A.) court within that district. Wills, estates, and guardianships go to the local Probate Court for the person's town instead, and New Haven County's towns are split among a number of separate probate districts.
All three judicial districts are searched through the same statewide Judicial Branch Case Look-up tools; there is no New Haven County-specific case search site.
Search New Haven County court records online
Superior Court Clerk
Superior Court Clerk — New Haven Judicial District
- Cost
- Free to search the statewide Case Look-up; copy fees apply per Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-259
- Coverage
- Felony criminal, civil, and family cases for Bethany, Branford, Cheshire, East Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, New Haven, North Branford, North Haven, Wallingford, and Woodbridge
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
This page lists the towns served and links to the judicial district staff directory and driving directions to both the New Haven and Meriden courthouses; case search itself is done through jud.ct.gov's statewide Case Look-up tools.
Other courts
Superior Court Clerk — Ansonia-Milford Judicial District
- Cost
- Free to search the statewide Case Look-up; copy fees apply
- Coverage
- Felony criminal, civil, and family cases for Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Milford, Orange, Oxford, Seymour, Shelton, and West Haven
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
Judicial district courthouse at 14 West River Street, Milford; the Derby courthouse (106 Elizabeth Street) is G.A. 5 within the same district.
Other courts
Superior Court Clerk — Waterbury Judicial District
- Cost
- Free to search the statewide Case Look-up; copy fees apply
- Coverage
- Felony criminal, civil, and family cases for Middlebury, Naugatuck, Prospect, Southbury, Waterbury, Watertown, Wolcott, and Woodbury
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
Courthouse at 300 Grand Street, Waterbury.
Other courts
Connecticut Probate Court — District Locator
- Cost
- Free
- Coverage
- Look up which probate district covers a specific New Haven County town, with contact information and directions
- Records
- Probate
Wills, estates, guardianship, and conservatorship records are kept by the local probate district, not the Superior Court.
What is available online
The statewide Case Look-up tools show docket entries, party names, and case status for civil, family, criminal, motor-vehicle, housing, and small-claims cases filed in any of New Haven County's three judicial districts, but do not show document images. Criminal conviction information generally disappears from the public criminal look-up after 10 years or on erasure under the Clean Slate law. Probate filings are on a separate system; the statewide Probate Court Case Lookup Tool covers only decedent's estate and trust matters from 2011 forward.
Which clerk has your record
In Connecticut, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Connecticut page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Appellate Court of Connecticut | Civil and criminal appeals from the Superior Court; Family and juvenile appeals | Office of the Chief Clerk, Appellate Case Look-up |
| Superior Court — Judicial District (J.D.) level | Felony criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other family matters; Civil cases above the small-claims and G.A. jurisdictional limits | Clerk of the Superior Court for that Judicial District |
| Superior Court — Geographical Area (G.A.) level | Misdemeanors and lesser felonies; Motor vehicle violations; Arraignments and probable-cause hearings | Clerk of the Superior Court for that Geographical Area |
| Superior Court — Housing Session | Evictions (summary process); Housing code enforcement; Rent escrow | Clerk of the Housing Session for that judicial district |
| Superior Court — Small Claims | Money disputes up to the small-claims limit; Consumer and landlord-tenant claims within that limit | Centralized Small Claims Clerk's Office |
| Probate Court | Decedents' estates and wills; Guardianship and conservatorship; Adoption and termination of parental rights | Probate Judge/Clerk for the local probate district |
Request records in person or by mail
New Haven County clerk offices
New Haven Judicial District Courthouse, 235 Church Street, New Haven, CT 06510
Phone: New Haven J.D. Chief Clerk's Office: (203) 503-6800
Superior Court records. Identify which judicial district covers the town where the case was filed: New Haven for the New Haven/Meriden area towns, Ansonia-Milford for the lower Naugatuck Valley and shoreline towns, or Waterbury for the upper Naugatuck Valley towns. Contact that district's clerk's office with the docket number, or the party names and approximate year if you do not have one. Copies are billed per the statutory fee schedule in Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-259.
G.A. court records. Lower-level criminal and motor-vehicle cases may be filed at a geographical area courthouse, such as G.A. 23 in New Haven, G.A. 7 in Meriden, G.A. 22 in Milford, G.A. 5 in Derby, or G.A. 4 in Waterbury, rather than the judicial-district courthouse.
Probate records. Contact the specific probate district for the town, found through the Probate Court's district locator; each district keeps its own estate, guardianship, and adoption files.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $1.00 per page for a plain (uncertified) copy made by the clerk (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-259(f)) |
| Certified copy | $25.00 for a certified copy of a judgment file, $15.00 for an uncertified copy of a judgment file, and $2.00 to certify other documents under seal (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-259(f)-(g)) |
These are the statutory Superior Court clerk fees in Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-259. Probate Court fees are set separately by Probate Court fee schedule and were not verified for this guide; confirm with the specific probate district.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Connecticut court records are presumed open, but a substantial share of what people search for is restricted by rule or statute:
The Connecticut guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a New Haven County clerk's office?
No. Connecticut has no county government, so there is no New Haven County clerk. The New Haven, Ansonia-Milford, and Waterbury Superior Court judicial districts each keep their own case files instead, depending on which town the case is from.
Which judicial district covers my New Haven County town?
New Haven, Hamden, Meriden, Branford, and the surrounding shoreline and central towns are in the New Haven Judicial District. Milford, Derby, Ansonia, Shelton, and nearby towns are in the Ansonia-Milford Judicial District. Waterbury, Naugatuck, Watertown, and the upper Naugatuck Valley towns are in the Waterbury Judicial District.
Can I search New Haven County court cases online for free?
Yes. The Judicial Branch's statewide Case Look-up tools cover civil, family, criminal, motor-vehicle, housing, and small-claims cases from all three judicial districts at no cost, showing docket entries and case status rather than document images.
Where is a Meriden court case actually filed?
Meriden has its own courthouse, but it is part of the New Haven Judicial District, so the case is still on file with the New Haven Judicial District clerk even though it may have been heard in Meriden.
Where do I find a will or estate record for someone from New Haven County?
Look up the correct Probate Court district for that person's town using the Probate Court's district locator, not the Superior Court. New Haven County's towns are divided among several probate districts.
Sources
- Connecticut Judicial Branch — New Haven Judicial District — https://www.jud.ct.gov/directory/maps/JD/NewHaven.htm
- Connecticut Judicial Branch — Ansonia-Milford Judicial District — https://www.jud.ct.gov/ADA/towns/Ansonia_Milford.htm
- Connecticut Judicial Branch — Waterbury Judicial District — https://www.jud.ct.gov/directory/maps/JD/Waterbury.htm
- Connecticut Judicial Branch — State Courthouses directory — https://www.jud.ct.gov/directory/courthouses.htm
- Connecticut Probate Courts — Court Locator — https://www.ctprobate.gov/court-locator
- Connecticut Judicial Branch — Case Look-up — https://www.jud.ct.gov/jud2.htm
- Connecticut Judicial Branch — Courts overview — https://www.jud.ct.gov/courts.htm
- Connecticut Judicial Branch — Judicial District map — https://www.jud.ct.gov/directory/maps/JD/default.htm
- State Police Bureau of Identification (DESPP) — https://portal.ct.gov/despp/division-of-emergency-service-and-public-protection/reports-and-records/state-police-bureau-of-identification
- Connecticut Probate Courts — homepage and Case Lookup Tool — https://www.ctprobate.gov/
- Connecticut General Statutes § 52-259 — Court fees — https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_901.htm#sec_52-259
- Connecticut General Statutes § 54-142a — Erasure of criminal records — https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_961a.htm#sec_54-142a
- Connecticut Practice Book (Rules of Practice and Procedure) — https://www.jud.ct.gov/Publications/PracticeBook/PB.pdf
- District of Connecticut — U.S. District Court — https://www.ctd.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Connecticut counties.