(a) The report of a committee, attorney trial referee or special assignment probate judge shall state, in separate and consecutively numbered paragraphs, the facts found and the conclusions drawn therefrom. It should not contain statements of evidence or excerpts from the evidence. The report should ordinarily state only the ultimate facts found; but if the committee, attorney trial referee or special assignment probate judge has reason to believe that the conclusions as to such facts from subordinate facts will be questioned, it may also state the subordinate facts found proven; and any committee, attorney trial referee or special assignment probate judge having reason to believe that the rulings will be questioned may state them with a brief summary of such facts as are necessary to explain them; and the committee, attorney trial referee or special assignment probate judge should state such claims as were made by the parties and which either party requests be stated.
Section 19-8.Report
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceA referee’s report must lay out the facts found and conclusions drawn in separate numbered paragraphs, generally sticking to ultimate facts rather than evidence, and may come with a memorandum of decision and an appraisal fee recommendation.
Full Text of Section 19-8
(b) The committee, attorney trial referee or special assignment probate judge may accompany the report with a memorandum of decision including such matters as it may deem helpful in the decision of the case, and, in any case in which appraisal fees may be awarded by the court, shall make a finding and recommendation as to such appraisal fees as it deems reasonable.
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 434.) (Amended June 28, 1999, to take effect Jan. 1, 2000; amended June 20, 2011, to take effect Jan. 1, 2012.)
Plain-English Summary
The report itself has a required structure. It must state, in separate and consecutively numbered paragraphs, the facts found and the conclusions drawn from them, and it should not include statements of evidence or excerpts from the evidence. Ordinarily the report states only the ultimate facts found. But if the committee, attorney trial referee, or special assignment probate judge expects the conclusions drawn from subordinate facts to be questioned, it may also set out those subordinate facts. If rulings are likely to be questioned, the report may state them along with a brief summary of the facts needed to explain them. The report should also state any claims the parties made that a party asks to have included.
The report may come with a memorandum of decision covering whatever the referee finds helpful in explaining the decision. And in any case where the court could award appraisal fees, the report must include a finding and recommendation on what appraisal fees the referee considers reasonable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a referee’s report include the evidence presented at trial?
No, the report should not contain statements of evidence or excerpts from the evidence — it ordinarily states only the ultimate facts found.
When does the report include subordinate facts?
When the committee, attorney trial referee, or special assignment probate judge believes the conclusions drawn from subordinate facts will be questioned.
Does the report have to address appraisal fees?
In any case where appraisal fees may be awarded by the court, the report must include a finding and recommendation on the appraisal fees the referee deems reasonable.
How is the report formatted?
The facts found and conclusions drawn from them are stated in separate, consecutively numbered paragraphs.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 19-8). 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: referee report format Connecticutultimate facts vs subordinate facts reportappraisal fee recommendation refereememorandum of decision committee reportwhat goes in a committee report