If such offer of compromise is not accepted within thirty days and prior to the rendering of a verdict by the jury or an award by the judicial authority, such offer of compromise shall be considered rejected and not subject to acceptance unless refiled.
Section 17-16.—Plaintiff’s Offer Not Accepted
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceIf a defendant does not accept a plaintiff's offer of compromise within thirty days and before a verdict or award, the offer is treated as rejected and cannot be accepted later unless the plaintiff refiles it.
Full Text of Section 17-16
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 348.) (Amended June 24, 2002, to take effect Jan. 1, 2003; amended June 26, 2006, to take effect Jan. 1, 2007.)
Plain-English Summary
This section is the flip side of Section 17-15: it addresses what happens when the defendant lets the thirty-day acceptance window close, or a verdict or award is rendered first. In either case, the offer of compromise is considered rejected and is no longer open for acceptance. The plaintiff can only revive it by filing it again.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if a defendant misses the deadline to accept a plaintiff's offer of compromise?
The offer is considered rejected, and it is not subject to acceptance afterward unless the plaintiff refiles it.
Can a plaintiff's offer of compromise still be accepted after a verdict?
No. The offer must be accepted before a verdict by the jury or an award by the judicial authority; after that, it is considered rejected.
Can a rejected plaintiff's offer be brought back?
Yes, but only if the plaintiff refiles the offer of compromise.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 17-16). 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: plaintiff offer of compromise rejecteddefendant fails to accept offer of compromiseoffer of compromise deemed rejected Connecticutrefiling offer of compromise