Section 23-33.—Request for a More Specific Statement

Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026

In one sentenceThis rule lets any party ask for a more specific statement to pin down the facts behind a vague pleading in a habeas case, with a thirty-day deadline to comply or object.

Full Text of Section 23-33

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Any party may request a more specific statement regarding a preceding pleading to obtain a more complete and particular statement of the facts supporting each legal claim or to obtain any other appropriate correction in the preceding pleading. Such request shall be deemed to have been granted by the judicial authority on the date of the filing and shall be complied with by the party to whom it is directed within thirty days of filing, unless within thirty days of filing the party to whom it is directed objects, setting forth, in concise fashion, the basis for the objection. A request for a more specific statement, and objection, may be ruled upon by the judicial authority without oral argument, unless the judicial authority determines that oral argument is necessary.

End

Amendment History

(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 529L.)

Plain-English Summary

If a pleading in a habeas case is too general, any party can request a more specific statement, asking for a fuller, more particular account of the facts behind each legal claim, or some other correction. The request is automatically treated as granted the day it's filed. The party on the receiving end then has thirty days to comply — unless, within that same thirty days, they file a concise objection explaining why they should not have to.

The judicial authority can decide the request, and any objection to it, on the papers alone, without a hearing, unless it decides oral argument is needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I don't respond to a request for a more specific statement?

The request is deemed granted on the date it is filed, so you must either comply within thirty days or file a concise objection within that same thirty-day window.

Do I get a hearing on a request for a more specific statement?

Not automatically. The judicial authority may rule on the request and any objection without oral argument, unless it determines argument is necessary.

Can I use this rule to ask for facts, not just legal corrections?

Yes. The rule covers requests for a more complete and particular statement of the facts supporting each legal claim, as well as other appropriate corrections to the pleading.

Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 23-33). 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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