In an action by a corporation, foreign or domestic, founded upon any contract, express or implied, the defendant shall not, under a general denial, be permitted to dispute, but shall be deemed to admit, the capacity of the plaintiff to make such contract.
Section 10-49.—Suit by Corporation; Admission by General Denial
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceWhen a corporation sues on a contract, a defendant answering with only a general denial is deemed to admit the plaintiff corporation had the legal capacity to make that contract.
Full Text of Section 10-49
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 163.)
Plain-English Summary
This section applies to an action by a corporation, foreign or domestic, founded on any contract, express or implied. In that situation, a defendant who answers with a general denial is not permitted to dispute the plaintiff corporation’s capacity to make the contract. Instead, the defendant is deemed to admit that capacity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a general denial let a defendant contest a corporate plaintiff's capacity to contract?
No. Under this section, a general denial does not let a defendant dispute a corporate plaintiff’s capacity to make the contract sued upon; that capacity is deemed admitted.
How can a defendant challenge a corporation's capacity to contract?
The text of this section does not say; it states only that a general denial does not preserve that challenge, which relates to the specific-denial requirement in Section 10-46 for controverting a plaintiff’s capacity to sue as a corporation.
Does this section apply to foreign corporations too?
Yes, it applies to an action by a corporation, foreign or domestic, founded upon any contract, express or implied.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 10-49). 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: corporate plaintiff general denial Connecticutadmission of contract capacity by general denialsuing corporation capacity to contract CTpractice book 10-49