Subject to the provisions of Section 16-17, the judicial authority shall, if the verdict is in order and is technically correct, accept it without comment. (See Sec. 868, P.B. 1978-1997.)
Section 16-31.—Acceptance of Verdict
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceSubject to the court’s power to send a verdict back for further consideration, the judge must accept a verdict that is in order and technically correct, without comment.
Full Text of Section 16-31
Amendment History
(P.B. 1998; amended June 29, 1998, to take effect Jan. 1, 1999.)
Plain-English Summary
Once the jury returns its verdict, the judicial authority must accept it without comment, provided the verdict is in order and technically correct. This duty is subject to Section 16-17, which lets the court return the jury to a second or third consideration if it mistook the evidence or the verdict runs contrary to the court’s direction on the law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a judge comment on a jury’s verdict when accepting it?
No. If the verdict is in order and technically correct, the judicial authority must accept it without comment.
Can the court reject or send back a verdict?
Yes, in the circumstances described in Section 16-17, which lets the court return the jury for a second or, at most, a third consideration if the verdict mistook the evidence or contradicted the court’s legal instructions.
What does “technically correct” mean for accepting a verdict?
The text doesn’t define the term further—it conditions the court’s duty to accept the verdict on the verdict being in order and technically correct.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 16-31). 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
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