The common counts writ and complaint is hereby abolished.
Section 10-9.Common Counts
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceThis section abolishes the common counts writ and complaint, ending the traditional shorthand form once used to plead certain contract claims in Connecticut.
Full Text of Section 10-9
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 115.)
Plain-English Summary
Section 10-9 gets rid of the common counts writ and complaint. That older form let a plaintiff plead a contract claim in a few stock phrases — for money owed on an account, for goods sold, for work done — without spelling out the underlying facts in detail. Connecticut no longer allows it, so a plaintiff bringing a contract claim must plead the material facts as required elsewhere in Chapter 10, rather than relying on the old shorthand forms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the common counts?
They were traditional stock forms of pleading that let a plaintiff state a contract claim in brief, standardized language instead of detailing the facts.
Can I still use a common counts complaint in Connecticut?
No. Section 10-9 abolishes the common counts writ and complaint, so that form of pleading is no longer available.
What must a plaintiff do instead of pleading common counts?
The plaintiff must plead the material facts of the contract claim, consistent with the general pleading requirements found elsewhere in the rules.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 10-9). 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: common counts abolished Connecticutcan you use common counts CTold form contract pleading Connecticutcommon counts writshorthand contract pleading rule