The judicial authority may, if it determines that the jury has mistaken the evidence in the cause and has brought in a verdict contrary to it, or has brought in a verdict contrary to the direction of the judicial authority in a matter of law, return the jury to a second consideration, and for like reason may return it to a third consideration, and no more. (See General Statutes § 52-223 and annotations.)
Section 16-17.Jury Returned for Reconsideration
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceThis rule lets a judge send a verdict back to the jury for reconsideration, up to two times, if the judge believes the jury mistook the evidence or ignored the court's legal instructions.
Full Text of Section 16-17
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 311.)
Plain-English Summary
Section 16-17 gives the judicial authority a limited check on a jury verdict that seems to have gone wrong. If the judge determines that the jury mistook the evidence in the case and reached a verdict contrary to it, or reached a verdict contrary to the judge’s instructions on the law, the judge may send the jury back for a second round of deliberation.
For the same reasons, the judge may return the jury for a third consideration — but no more than that. The rule caps the number of reconsiderations at two.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times can a judge send a Connecticut jury back to reconsider its verdict?
Up to two additional times: the judicial authority may return the jury for a second consideration and, for the same reason, a third, but no more.
On what grounds can a judge reject a jury’s verdict and send it back?
The judge must determine that the jury mistook the evidence and reached a verdict contrary to it, or reached a verdict contrary to the judge’s instructions on the law.
Is returning the jury for reconsideration mandatory?
No, the rule uses discretionary language — the judicial authority may return the jury, based on its own determination that the verdict is mistaken.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 16-17). 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: jury sent back for reconsiderationverdict contrary to evidence Connecticutjudge rejects jury verdictsecond consideration of verdictreconsideration of jury verdict