(a) In the event that the governor declares a public health emergency pursuant to General Statutes § 19a-131a or a civil preparedness emergency pursuant to General Statutes § 28-9 or both, the chief justice, or if the chief justice is incapacitated or unavailable, the chairperson of the Rules Committee may call a meeting of the Superior Court Rules Committee.
Section 1-9B.—Emergency Powers of Rules Committee
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceThis rule lets the Rules Committee adopt or change rules on an interim basis during a declared public health or civil preparedness emergency, without a quorum, until the full judges can meet and vote.
Full Text of Section 1-9B
(b) No quorum shall be required at this meeting as long as a good faith effort has been made to contact all members of the Rules Committee to advise them of the meeting. The meeting may be held in person or by electronic means. Public notice should be given of the Rules Committee meeting, but failure to give such notice shall not impair the validity of actions taken at the meeting as long as a good faith effort has been made to provide such notice.
(c) At such meeting the Rules Committee shall have the power to adopt on an interim basis any new rules and to amend or suspend in whole or in part on an interim basis any existing rules concerning practice and procedure in the Superior Court that the committee deems necessary in light of the circumstances of the declared emergency. Any new rules and any amendments to and suspensions of existing rules adopted pursuant to this section should be published in the Connecticut Law Journal and on the Judicial Branch website, but failure to so publish shall not impair the validity of such rules as long as a good faith effort has been made to so publish.
(d) Any such new rules and amendments to and suspensions of existing rules adopted pursuant to this section shall remain in effect for the duration of the declared emergency or until such time, as soon as practicable, as a meeting of the Superior Court judges can be convened, in person or electronically, to consider and vote on the changes.
Amendment History
(Adopted June 21, 2010, to take effect Jan. 1, 2011.)
Plain-English Summary
Section 1-9B gives the Rules Committee emergency powers when the governor declares a public health emergency under General Statutes § 19a-131a or a civil preparedness emergency under General Statutes § 28-9, or both. Under subsection (a), the chief justice — or the Rules Committee chairperson if the chief justice is incapacitated or unavailable — may call a meeting of the Rules Committee.
Subsection (b) says no quorum is required at that meeting, as long as a good faith effort was made to notify all Rules Committee members. The meeting can happen in person or electronically. Public notice should be given, but a failure to give notice doesn't invalidate actions taken, provided a good faith effort to notify was made.
Subsection (c) lets the Rules Committee, at that meeting, adopt new rules or amend or suspend existing rules on an interim basis, covering practice and procedure the committee deems necessary given the emergency. These changes should be published in the Connecticut Law Journal and on the Judicial Branch website, but a failure to publish doesn't invalidate them, again provided a good faith effort was made.
Subsection (d) limits how long these interim rules last: they remain in effect for the duration of the declared emergency, or until the Superior Court judges can meet — in person or electronically — to consider and vote on the changes, whichever comes first.
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggers the Rules Committee’s emergency powers?
A public health emergency declared under General Statutes § 19a-131a, a civil preparedness emergency declared under General Statutes § 28-9, or both.
Is a quorum required for an emergency Rules Committee meeting?
No. Subsection (b) says no quorum is required, as long as a good faith effort was made to contact all committee members about the meeting.
How long do emergency rule changes stay in effect?
They last for the duration of the declared emergency or until the Superior Court judges can convene to consider and vote on the changes, whichever happens first.
Who can call an emergency Rules Committee meeting?
The chief justice, or the Rules Committee chairperson if the chief justice is incapacitated or unavailable.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 1-9B). Prescribed by the Judges of the Superior Court of Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 51-14). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 9, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: emergency rule changespublic health emergency court rulesRules Committee emergency powersinterim rules during emergencycivil preparedness emergency