Conn. Practice Book § 25-58 (2026)

Sec. 25-58. Reports of Dissolution of Mar- riage or Civil Union and Annulment (Amended June 26, 2006, to take effect Jan. 1, 2007.) Before a hearing is commenced for a dissolu- tion of marriage or civil union or annulment of marriage or civil union, the parties concerned, or their attorneys, shall provide, on forms prescribed by the chief court administrator and furnished by the clerk, such information as is required by the judges of the Superior Court. (P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 477.) (Amended June 28, 1999, to take effect Jan. 1, 2000; amended June 26, 2006, to take effect Jan. 1, 2007.) Sec. 25-59. Closure of Courtroom in Fam- ily Matters (Amended May 14, 2003, to take effect July 1, 2003.) (a) Except as otherwise provided by law, there shall be a presumption that courtroom proceed- ings shall be open to the public. 315 (b) Except as provided in this section and except as otherwise provided by law, the judicial authority shall not order that the public be excluded from any portion of a courtroom pro- ceeding. (c) Upon motion of any party, or upon its own motion, the judicial authority may order that the public be excluded from any portion of a court- room proceeding only if the judicial authority con- cludes that such order is necessary to preserve an interest which is determined to override the public’s interest in attending such proceeding. The judicial authority shall first consider reasonable alternatives to any such order and any such order shall be no broader than necessary to protect such overriding interest. An agreement of the par- ties to close the courtroom shall not constitute a sufficient basis for the issuance of such an order. (d) In connection with any order issued pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the judicial authority shall articulate the overriding interest being protected and shall specify its findings underlying such order. If any findings would reveal information entitled to remain confidential, those findings may be set forth in a sealed portion of the record. The time, date and scope of any such order shall be set forth in a writing signed by the judicial authority which upon issuance the court clerk shall immediately enter in the court file. The judicial authority shall order that a transcript of its decision be included in the file or prepare a memorandum setting forth the reasons for its order. (e) A motion to close a courtroom proceeding shall be filed not less than fourteen days before the proceeding is scheduled to be heard. Such motion shall be placed on the short calendar so that notice to the public is given of the time and place of the hearing on the motion and to afford the public an opportunity to be heard on the motion under consideration. The motion itself may be filed under seal, where appropriate, by leave of the judicial authority. When placed on a short calen- dar, motions filed under this rule shall be listed in a separate section titled ‘‘Motions to Seal or Close’’ and shall also be listed with the time, date and place of the hearing on the Judicial Branch website. A notice of such motion being placed on the short calendar shall, upon issuance of the short calendar, be posted on a bulletin board adja- cent to the clerk’s office and accessible to the public. (P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 478.) (Amended May 14, 2003, to take effect July 1, 2003; amended June 21, 2004, to take effect Jan. 1, 2005; amended June 20, 2011, to take effect Jan. 1, 2012.)

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