When, upon any application, petition or matter presented to any judge of the court for a hearing by him or her as a judge, notice to the adverse party of the hearing thereon is required, either by statute or in the discretion of the judge, the judge to whom such application, petition or matter has been presented may, in the order of notice issued by the judge, designate any other judge of the court to hear the same, the consent thereto of such other judge having first been obtained, and when any application, petition or matter is pending before any judge of the court, such application, petition or matter may be by the judge transferred to any other judge of the court, upon like consent first obtained; and in either case such other judge shall thereupon proceed with such application, petition or matter with the same authority as though the same had originally been presented Sec. to such judge or had theretofore been pending before him or her. (See General Statutes § 51-189.)
Section 20-3.Transfer of Hearings before Judges
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceLets a judge who receives an application, petition, or matter requiring notice to the adverse party either designate another consenting judge to hear it or transfer a pending matter to another consenting judge, who then proceeds with full authority.
Full Text of Section 20-3
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 448.)
Plain-English Summary
Some applications, petitions, or matters presented to a judge require notice to the adverse party, either because a statute demands it or because the judge decides notice is appropriate. When that is the case, the judge to whom the matter was presented may designate a different judge to hear it, naming that other judge in the order of notice, so long as the other judge consents.
The rule also lets a judge transfer a matter already pending before him or her to another judge, again only with that other judge’s consent. Either way, once the designation or transfer happens, the other judge takes up the application, petition, or matter with the same authority as if it had originally come before that judge or had been pending before that judge all along.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a judge hand off a chambers matter to another judge in Connecticut?
Yes. If notice to the adverse party is required, the judge may designate another judge to hear the matter, or transfer a pending matter to another judge, as long as the receiving judge consents.
Does the receiving judge need to agree to take the matter?
Yes. Section 20-3 requires the consent of the other judge before a designation or transfer takes effect.
What authority does the new judge have after a transfer?
The other judge proceeds with the same authority as though the application, petition, or matter had originally been presented to, or had been pending before, that judge.
Is there a statute behind this rule?
Yes, Section 20-3 references General Statutes § 51-189.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 20-3). 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: transfer hearing to another judge Connecticutdesignate judge to hear chambers matterGeneral Statutes 51-189 rulejudge consent to hear transferred matter