Conn. Gen. Stat. » Title 52 — CIVIL ACTIONS · Chapter 896 — Civil Process, Service and Time for Return
Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-50 (2025)

Persons to whom process shall be directed

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(a) All process shall be directed to a state marshal, a constable or other proper officer authorized by statute, or, subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, to an indifferent person. A direction on the process “to any proper officer” shall be sufficient to direct the process to a state marshal, constable or other proper officer.

(b) Process shall not be directed to an indifferent person unless authorized by statute. Any indifferent person who, knowing that he is not authorized to do so under this section or any other provision of the general statutes, serves process shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.

(c) Service of motions for modification, motions for contempt and wage withholdings in any matter involving a beneficiary of care or assistance from the state and in other IV-D child support cases may be made by any investigator employed by the Commissioner of Administrative Services or the Commissioner of Social Services.

(d) Service of motions for modification, motions for contempt and wage withholdings in any matter involving child support, including, but not limited to, petitions for support authorized under sections 17b-745 and 46b-215, and those matters involving a beneficiary of care or assistance from the state, and service of other process in IV-D support cases, as defined in subdivision (13) of subsection (b) of section 46b-231, may be made by a support enforcement officer or support services investigator of the Superior Court.

(e) Borough bailiffs may, within their respective boroughs, execute all legal process which state marshals or constables may execute.

(1949 Rev., S. 7771; 1967, P.A. 828; P.A. 76-334, S. 8, 12; P.A. 77-452, S. 26, 67, 72; 77-594, S. 5, 7; 77-614, S. 70, 521, 610; P.A. 79-560, S. 21, 39; P.A. 82-160, S. 10; P.A. 83-295, S. 16; P.A. 90-213, S. 36, 56; P.A. 93-262, S. 74, 87; 93-396, S. 6; P.A. 00-99, S. 108, 154; P.A. 01-195, S. 57, 181; P.A. 04-257, S. 79; P.A. 13-194, S. 12; P.A. 14-86, S. 2; P.A. 23-23, S. 4.)

History: 1967 act authorized investigators employed by finance and control commissioner to make service of motions for modification or contempt or wage executions in matters involving beneficiaries of state care or assistance; P.A. 76-334 extended provision added in 1967 to apply to investigators of social services commissioner and added similar provision empowering court domestic relations officers to act in matters involving child support; P.A. 77-452 removed reference to domestic relations officers of court of common pleas, that court's functions having been transferred to superior court by P.A. 76-436, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-594 specifically included petitions for support as a matter involving child support and authorized family relations officers and support services investigators power to act in such matters; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of finance and control with commissioner of administrative services and, effective January 1, 1979, replaced commissioner of social services with commissioner of human resources; P.A. 79-560 extended power to make service of motions, etc. to investigators of commissioner of income maintenance; P.A. 82-160 rephrased section, inserted Subsec. indicators and added Subsec. (e) which was formerly Sec. 52-66; P.A. 83-295 amended Subsec. (d) to delete a reference to service by a “domestic relations officer” or “family relations officer” and to authorize service by a family relations caseworker, family relations counselor or support enforcement officer; P.A. 90-213 deleted provisions concerning family relations caseworker and family relations counselor; P.A. 93-262 changed reference in Subsec. (c) from commissioners of income maintenance and human resources to commissioner of social services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-396 replaced the word “executions” with “withholdings”; P.A. 00-99 replaced references to sheriff and deputy sheriff with state marshal in Subsec. (a), effective December 1, 2000; P.A. 01-195 substituted “state marshals” for “sheriffs” in Subsec. (e), effective July 11, 2001; P.A. 04-257 made technical changes in Subsec. (d), effective June 14, 2004; P.A. 13-194 amended Subsec. (d) to add provision re service of other process in IV-D support cases, as defined in Sec. 46b-231(b)(13); P.A. 14-86 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision re indifferent person who serves process, knowing that he is not authorized to do so, to be guilty of a class A misdemeanor; P.A. 23-23 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing existing provisions concerning when process may be directed to indifferent persons with “unless authorized by statute”.

See Sec. 52-246 re costs for service by an indifferent person.

The indifferent person must be of full age. 2 R. 520. The oath must be administered in the words prescribed. 6 C. 138; 9 C. 206; 14 C. 84; 30 C. 392. The direction may be endorsed on the writ. 9 C. 207. The return of an indifferent person need not be sworn to. 23 C. 242, but see 74 C. 728. If improperly directed to an indifferent person, process is void; bastardy complaint. 85 C. 330. Cited. 113 C. 79; 197 C. 320; Id., 507.

Cited. 25 CA 555; 32 CA 147.

Cited. 4 CS 139; 37 CS 891.

Subsec. (a):

Service of process in accordance with Subsec. not required under Practice Book Sec. 2-38(a). 260 C. 435.

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 47 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 1981–2022 · leading case: Connor v. Statewide Grievance Comm., 797 A.2d 1081 (Conn. 2002).
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Connor v. Statewide Grievance Comm., 797 A.2d 1081 (Conn. 2002). · cites it 16× “, from the adverse decision of the defendant, the statewide grievance committee, based upon the court’s determination that the plaintiffs failure to serve the complaint on the defendant in accordance with General Statutes § 52-50 (a) 1 rendered service defective under Practice…”
Simms v. Zucco, 280 A.3d 1226 (Conn. App. Ct. 2022). · cites it 28× “The service upon the defendant was sufficient to enable this court to consider making the plaintiff’s motion for modification retroactive to the date of service, December 1, 2015.”
Shedrick v. Shedrick, 627 A.2d 1387 (Conn. App. Ct. 1993). · cites it 6× “) General Statutes § 52-50 provides in pertinent part that “[a]ll process shall be directed to a sheriff, his deputy, a constable or other proper officer authorized by statute .”
Gilchrist v. Comm'r of Corr., 223 A.3d 368 (Conn. 2020). · cites it 2× “In the usual course, an attorney will sign and issue the writ of summons and complaint without any court involvement.”
State v. Morrill, 498 A.2d 76 (Conn. 1985). · cites it 2× “See General Statutes § 52-50. He would certainly be an “officer” as contemplated by § 52-143.”
Francis v. Fonfara, 33 A.3d 185 (Conn. 2012). · cites it 3× “” For clarity and convenience, in this opinion we refer to anyone authorized to serve process under § 52-50 as a process server. 12 The following exchange took place in the judiciary committee between Representative Antonina Parker and Senator Joseph Flynn: “[Representative…”
Basilicato v. Dep't of Pub. Util. Control, 497 A.2d 48 (Conn. 1985). · cites it 2× “” General Statutes § 52-50. 3 It is conceded that the only *324 service in this matter was made on TJI and the DPUC by certified mail.”
Borkowski v. Borkowski, 638 A.2d 1060 (Conn. 1994). “No order for periodic payment of permanent alimony or support may be subject to retroactive modification, except that the court may order modification with respect to any period during which there is a pending motion for modification of an alimony or support order from the date…”
Turner v. Turner, 595 A.2d 297 (Conn. 1991). “0-188 states that “[n]o order for periodic payment of permanent alimony or support may be subject to retroactive modification, except that the court may order modification with respect to any period during which there is a pending motion for modification of an alimony or support…”
Malpeso v. Malpeso, 138 A.3d 1069 (Conn. App. Ct. 2016). “the Connecticut legislature passed an amendment to § 46b-86 (a) that provided, inter alia, that '[n]o order for periodic payment of permanent alimony or support may be subject to retroactive modification, except that the court may order modification with respect to any period…”
Fahy v. Fahy, 630 A.2d 1328 (Conn. 1993). “No order for periodic payment of permanent alimony or support may be subject to retroactive modification, except that the court may order modification with respect to any period during which there is a pending motion for modification of an alimony or support order from the date…”
Emerick v. Emerick, 613 A.2d 1351 (Conn. App. Ct. 1992). “support order from the date of service of notice of such pending motion upon the opposing party pursuant to section 52-50.””
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