Conn. Practice Book § 33a-7 (2026)

Sec. 33a-7 (4) ensure that an attorney, and where appro- priate, a separate guardian ad litem, has been assigned to represent the child or youth by the chief public defender, in accordance with General Statutes §§ 46b-129a (2), 46b-136, 51-296a and Section 32a-1 of these rules; (5) advise the respondents, the person pre- sumed to be the parent pursuant to General Stat- utes § 46b-488 (a) (3), and the alleged genetic parent of their right to counsel and their right to have counsel assigned if they are unable to afford representation, determine eligibility for state paid representation and notify the chief public defender to assign an attorney to represent any respondent, the person presumed to be the parent pursuant to General Statutes § 46b-488 (a) (3), and the alleged genetic parent who is unable to afford representation, as determined by the judicial authority; (6) advise the respondents of the right to a hear- ing on the petitions and applications, to be held not later than ten days after the date of the preliminary hearing if the hearing is pursuant to an ex parte order of temporary custody or an order to appear; (7) notwithstanding any prior statements acknowledging responsibility, inquire of the cus- todial respondent in neglect, uncared for and dependency matters, and of all respondents in termination matters, whether the allegations of the petition are presently admitted or denied; (8) make any interim orders, including visitation, that the judicial authority determines are in the best interests of the child or youth, and order spe- cific steps that the commissioner and the respon- dents shall take for the respondents to regain or to retain custody of the child or youth; (9) take steps to determine the identity of the alleged genetic parent of the child or youth, includ- ing, if necessary, inquiring of the birth parent of the child or youth, under oath, as to the identity and address of any person who might be the genetic parent of the child or youth and ordering genetic testing, if necessary and appropriate, and order service of the amended petition citing in the alleged genetic parent and notice of the hearing date, if any, to be made upon such person; (10) if the person named as the alleged genetic parent appears and admits that such person is the parent, provide such person and the birth par- ent with the notices which comply with General Statutes § 17b-27 and provide them with the opportunity to sign an acknowledgment of parent- age on forms which comply with General Statutes § 17b-27, which documents shall be executed and filed in accordance with General Statutes Chapter 360 815y and a copy delivered to the clerk of the Superior Court for juvenile matters. The clerk of the Superior Court for juvenile matters shall send the original acknowledgment of parentage to the Department of Public Health for filing in the par- entage registry maintained under General Stat- utes § 19a-42a, and shall maintain a copy of the acknowledgment of parentage in the court file; (11) in the event that the person named as an alleged genetic parent appears and denies that such person is the parent of the child or youth, order genetic testing to determine parentage in accordance with the Connecticut Parentage Act. The clerk of the court shall send a certified copy of any judgment adjudicating parentage to the Department of Public Health for filing in the par- entage registry maintained under General Stat- utes § 19a-42a. If the results of the genetic tests indicate that the person named as the alleged genetic parent is not the genetic parent of the child or youth, the court shall enter a judgment that such person is not the genetic parent, and the court shall remove such person from the case and afford such person no further standing in the case or in any subsequent proceeding regarding the child or youth; and (12) identify any person or persons related to the child or youth by blood or marriage or law residing in this state or out of state who might serve as licensed foster parents or temporary cus- todians, and order the Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families to investi- gate and determine the appropriateness of place- ment of the child or youth with such relative or relatives pursuant to General Statutes § 46b-129 (c) and provide a written report to the court no later than thirty days from the date of the preliminary hearing and notify all counsel of record or set a reasonable date for such a report if a relative lives outside the state. (b) At the preliminary hearing on the order of temporary custody or order to appear, the judicial authority may provide parties an opportunity to present argument with regard to the sufficiency of the sworn statements. (c) If any respondent fails, after proper service, to appear at the preliminary hearing, the judicial authority may enter or sustain an order of tempo- rary custody. (d) Upon request, or upon its own motion, the judicial authority shall schedule a hearing on the order for temporary custody or the order to appear to be held as soon as practicable but not later than ten days after the date of the preliminary hearing. Such hearing shall be held on consecu- © Copyrighted by the Secretary of the State of the State of Connecticut

SUPERIOR COURT—PROCEDURE IN JUVENILE MATTERS Sec. 33a-8 tive days except for compelling circumstances or at the request of the respondents. (e) Subject to the requirements of Section 33a- 7 (a) (6), upon motion of any party or on its own motion, the judicial authority may consolidate the hearing, on the order of temporary custody or order to appear with the adjudicatory phase of the trial on the underlying neglect or uncared for petition. At a consolidated order of temporary cus- tody and neglect or uncared for adjudication hear- ing, the judicial authority shall determine the outcome of the order of temporary custody based upon whether or not continued removal is neces- sary to ensure the child’s or youth’s safety, irre- spective of its findings on whether there is sufficient evidence to support an adjudication of neglect or uncared for. Nothing in this subsection prohibits the judicial authority from proceeding to disposition of the underlying petition immediately after such consolidated hearing if the social study has been filed and the parties had previously agreed to sustain the order of temporary custody and waived the ten day hearing or the parties should reasonably be ready to proceed. (Adopted June 24, 2002, to take effect Jan. 1, 2003; amended June 30, 2008, to take effect Jan. 1, 2009; amended June 21, 2010, to take effect Jan. 1, 2011; amended June 20, 2011, to take effect Jan. 1, 2012; amended June 15, 2012, to take effect Jan. 1, 2013; amended June 14, 2024, to take effect Jan. 1, 2025.) 361