Frequently Asked Questions

I have a legal problem and need some advice, can you help?

The Office of the Attorney General is prohibited from providing private legal advice.  If you have a private legal question, you may wish to retain an attorney or, in certain circumstances, an attorney at a reduced or no-fee basis may be obtained by call the Legal Aid Society.  For Hartford County:  (860) 541-5000 and for New Haven County:  (203) 946-4811.

I received a notice for jury duty?  Do I have to go?

Jury Duty is an important act of citizenship and offers a unique opportunity to participate in the judicial process.  Overall, Connecticut sends a Jury Summons to over 525,000 people every year for jury duty.  Eighty percent (80%) of jurors complete their jury service in one day.

If you are not available on the date indicated, you may ask for a postponement to any date within ten months of your original jury service date.  The date must be a weekday that is not a legal holiday.  We recommend that you choose a date early enough in the ten month postponement period so that if you have an emergency, you can make other arrangements to serve before the ten months are over.

Make your request in writing to Jury Administration, PO Box 260448, Hartford, CT  06126-0448 or by telephone at 1-800-842-8175 Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Tell your employer about your jury service date.  If you work full time, your employer must pay your regular wages for the first five days of jury service.

You will receive a reminder notice in the mail about one week before your jury service date.  It will contain parking information, directions to the courthouse, a copy of “Your Guide to Jury Service,” and any special instructions.

If you have a disability and you will need assistance or accommodation to serve on a jury, please call 1-800-842-8175 (TDD: 1-800-708-6794) or send a letter to Jury Administration,, PO Box 260448, Hartford, CT 06126-0448 so that reasonable accommodations can be made.  The Judicial Branch complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

How would I file a complaint against an attorney?

If you believe that an attorney has engaged in unethical conduct, you may wish to consider filing a grievance with the Statewide Grievance Committee, which has jurisdiction over the professional conduct of attorneys.  A grievance complaint may be made by completing and signing, under penalties of false statement, a Complaint Against Attorney Form or one may be obtained at each Clerk’s Office of the Superior Court in Connecticut.  Once the form is completed, it should be mailed to the following address:  Statewide Bar Counsel, Suite 2, 2^nd Floor, and 287 Main Street, East Hartford, Ct 06118-1885.

How would I file a complaint against a judge?

If you believe you have a complaint against a Superior Court Judge, you may want to express your dissatisfaction with the superior court judge’s conduct by writing to the Judicial Review Council.  The Judicial Review Council is charged by statute to investigate allegations that a superior court judge acted illegally or unethically.  See Conn. Gen. Stat. § 51-511.  Proper procedures for filing a complaint with the Judicial Review Council are available, on request, by writing to P.O. Box 260099, Hartford, CT 06126-0099.

How would I file a complaint against a small claims magistrate?

If you wish to file a complaint against a small claims magistrate, you should send an email to Magistrate.Matters@jud.ct.gov or a letter to Magistrate Matters, Judicial Branch, Superior Court Operations, 225 Spring Street, Wethersfield, CT 06109. They will be able to assist you if you wish to file a complaint about the conduct of the judge or magistrate who heard your case.

How would I file a complaint against a Probate Judge?

If you believe that the probate judge has acted illegally or unethically in handling this matter, you should file a written complaint with the Connecticut Council on Probate Judicial Conduct.  See Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 45a-62 and 45a-63.  You may obtain the necessary information and materials regarding the submission of written complaints to the Council by contacting the Honorable James J. Lawlor, Probate Court Administrator, by mail at 186 Newington Road, West Hartford, Connecticut, 06110-2320, or by telephone at (860) 566-7897.  The council is charged by statute to investigate every written complaint brought before it alleging that a probate judge acted illegally or unethically.

I have been contacted by someone claiming to represent a charity.  How do I know if they are legitimate?

Contact the Public Charities Unit.

Connecticut law requires groups that ask in our state for anything of value to benefit a charitable purpose or charitable organization to register or claim an exemption from registration with the Public Charities Unit. See Conn. Gen. Stat. §21a-175 et seq.  Ambulance corps, and police or fire fighter-related groups are covered by the registration law. Companies that are paid to solicit on behalf of charities, usually by telephone, are also required to register.

Note that registration is mandatory and does not imply that the state endorses any particular organization or  paid soliciting company.

The Public Charities Unit receives annual financial reports for registered charities.  Information on how the charity spends its money may help you decide whether you wish to support the organization with your donations.   If you have been solicited by telephone, we will also tell you how much of your donation goes to the charity and how much will stay with the paid solicitor.

I’d like to organize a charity.  Do I need to register?

Regardless of the charity’s location, if the group intends to ask in Connecticut for anything of value to benefit a charitable purpose or other charitable organization, or for the benefit of a public safety purpose or organization, it must register to solicit or claim an exemption from registration by filing a form with the Public Charities Unit.

If my church/organization is having a raffle, does it need to register as a charity?

If your group fits the definition of “soliciting” as mentioned above, yes, it needs to register or claim an exemption from registration with the Public Charities Unit.

Raffles and charitable games are NOT governed by the Public Charities Unit, so you must also apply for a charitable gaming permit from the Connecticut Division of Special Revenue, Charitable Games Section.  Contact Special Revenue, Charitable Games Division  1-800-338-6331 or 860 594-5480

If my church/organization is having a casino night, does it have to register?

If your group fits the definition of “soliciting” as mentioned above, it should call the Public Charities Unit.

“Casino” and “Las Vegas” nights are no longer permitted under state law since the repeal in 2003 of the Las Vegas Nights provision of the charitable gaming statute.  Contact the Division of Special Revenue, Charitable Games Section if you have any questions.

How does a tribe become federally recognized?

There are two ways a tribe can become federally recognized:  (1) by an Act of Congress; or (2) by proving that then meet seven mandatory criteria established by the Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). 25 CFR Part 83.

How can the tribal recognition process be fixed?

Long-term reform requires that Congress remove the recognition process from the BIA and establish an independent agency – insulated from politics or lobbying.  It must have nonpartisan members, staggered terms, and ample resources.  There is compelling precedent for such an independent agency – the Securities and Exchange Commission, for example, or the Federal Communications Commission, and the Federal Trade Commission, which deal professionally and promptly with topics that require extraordinary expertise, impartiality, and fairness.

Does Connecticut law apply on the two federal reservations?

Connecticut’s criminal laws apply on both federal reservations, and Connecticut’s court’s have jurisdiction to hear matters arising on the Mashantucket Pequot reservation.  However, while some of Connecticut’s regulatory laws apply on the two reservations, many do not.  Whether a particular regulatory law applies, is determined under federal law on a case-by-case basis.

If I get injured while at the casinos, do I have any legal remedies to seek damages for my injuries?

Yes, but your legal remedies are defined by tribal law, not state law.  To find out more about the Tribe’s laws and procedures, you may call the Mohegan Tribe’s Gaming Disputes Court at (860) 862-6155 or visit the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe.

Under what authority do the Tribes have the right to conduct gaming in this State?

The Tribes conduct gaming under a federal law, enacted by Congress in 1988, entitled the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, 25 U.S.C. 2701 et. seq., and a gaming compact (Mohegan Tribe) and federal gaming procedures (Mashantucket Pequot Tribe).  For more information about tribal gaming, visit the National Indian Gaming Commission