Section 25-68.Right to Counsel in State Initiated Parentage Actions
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceThis section requires an alleged parent in a state initiated parentage action to be advised of the right to counsel and to appointed counsel if indigent, and makes the attorney general a party on service of the petition.
(a)An alleged parent named in a state initiated parentage action shall be advised by the judicial authority of the alleged parent’s right to be represented by counsel and such parent’s right to court-appointed counsel if indigent. If the alleged parent is unable to obtain counsel due to indigency, such parent shall have counsel appointed unless the appointment is waived pursuant to Section 25-64.
(b)In cases under this section, a copy of the parentage petition shall be served on the attorney general in accordance with the provisions of Sections 10-12 through 10-17. The attorney general shall be a party to such cases, but need not be named in the petition or summoned to appear.
End
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 484C.) (Amended June 14, 2024, to take effect Jan. 1, 2025.)
Plain-English Summary
Where the state brings a parentage action, the judicial authority advises the alleged parent of the right to be represented by counsel and of the right to court-appointed counsel if indigent. An alleged parent who cannot obtain counsel because of indigency has counsel appointed, unless the appointment is waived under Section 25-64.
The protection matters because of what is at stake. A parentage judgment establishes a legal relationship to a child, and with it support obligations that can run for years.
A copy of the parentage petition is served on the attorney general under the ordinary service provisions. The attorney general is a party to such cases but need not be named in the petition or summoned to appear — the same arrangement Section 25-2 makes where the state has contributed support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I get a lawyer in a Connecticut state parentage case?
An alleged parent must be advised of the right to counsel and to court-appointed counsel if indigent, and an indigent alleged parent has counsel appointed unless the appointment is waived under Section 25-64.
Is the attorney general involved?
Yes. A copy of the petition is served on the attorney general, who is a party to such cases but need not be named in the petition or summoned to appear.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 25-68). 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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