The judicial authority may make any appropriate order at pretrial, including the issuance of a trial management order, and such order shall control the subsequent conduct of the case unless modified at the trial to prevent manifest injustice. If any party fails to abide by any such order the judicial authority may make such order as the ends of justice require, which may include the entry of a nonsuit or default against the offending party and an award to a complying party of reasonable attorney’s fees.
Section 14-14.—Orders at Pretrial
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceThis rule lets the judicial authority issue any appropriate order at pretrial, including a trial management order that controls the rest of the case unless changed later to prevent manifest injustice, and allows sanctions such as a nonsuit, default, or attorney’s fees against a party who doesn’t follow such an order.
Full Text of Section 14-14
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 268.)
Plain-English Summary
Section 14-14 gives the judicial authority broad power to make orders at a pretrial session, including issuing a trial management order. That order governs how the case proceeds afterward and stays in force unless modified at trial to prevent manifest injustice. If a party doesn’t follow a pretrial order, the judicial authority may make whatever order the ends of justice require, which can include a nonsuit or default against the offending party and an award of reasonable attorney’s fees to the party who complied.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a trial management order in Connecticut?
It’s an order the judicial authority may issue at a pretrial session that controls how the case proceeds afterward, unless modified at trial to prevent manifest injustice.
Can a trial management order be changed later?
Yes, but only at trial and only to prevent manifest injustice.
What happens if a party violates a pretrial order?
The judicial authority may make whatever order the ends of justice require, including a nonsuit or default against the party who violated it and an award of reasonable attorney’s fees to the complying party.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 14-14). 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: trial management order CTorders coming out of a pretrial conferencesanctions for violating pretrial ordermanifest injustice trial order modificationnonsuit default pretrial noncompliance