Section 25-59B.—Documents Containing Personal Identifying Information
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceThis section takes personal identifying information out of the general sealing rule, lets a party or the person identified ask that a document containing it be sealed, and requires a redacted copy within ten days.
(a)The requirements of Section 25-59A shall not apply to ‘‘personal identifying information,’’ as defined in Section 4-7, that may be found in documents filed with the court, with the exception of financial affidavits that are under seal. When a financial affidavit is unsealed, this section shall apply. If a document containing personal identifying information is filed with the court, a party or a person identified by the personal identifying information may request that the document containing the personal identifying information be sealed. In response to such request, or on its own motion, the court shall order that the document be sealed and that the party who filed the document submit a redacted copy of the document within ten days of such order.
(b)If the party who filed the document fails to submit a redacted copy of the document within ten days of the order, the court may enter sanctions, as appropriate, against said party for such failure upon the expiration of the ten day period. Upon the submission of a redacted copy of such document, the original document containing the personal identifying information shall be retained as a sealed document in the court file, unless otherwise ordered by the court.
End
Amendment History
(Adopted June 22, 2009, to take effect Jan. 1, 2010; amended June 21, 2010, to take effect Jan. 1, 2011.)
Plain-English Summary
Personal identifying information — as the general definition section defines it — is handled separately from the sealing rule, with one exception: financial affidavits under seal, to which this section applies once they are unsealed.
Where a document containing such information is filed, a party, or the person the information identifies, may request that it be sealed. On that request or its own motion, the court shall order the document sealed and order the filing party to submit a redacted copy within ten days.
If the redacted copy does not arrive within the ten days, the court may impose sanctions on that party once the period expires. When it does arrive, the original stays in the file as a sealed document unless the court orders otherwise.
Note who may ask: not only the parties, but the person whose information it is — who may be a child, a relative or someone with no other role in the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do if my Social Security number is in a Connecticut court filing?
A party, or a person identified by the personal identifying information, may request that the document be sealed. The court shall order it sealed and order the filer to submit a redacted copy within ten days.
What happens if the redacted copy is not filed?
The court may enter sanctions against that party upon the expiration of the ten day period.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 25-59B). 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:personal identifying information court filing ConnecticutPractice Book section 25-59Bredacting Social Security number CT family court