(a) Except by leave of the judicial authority, no attorney shall be permitted to appear in court or to be heard on behalf of a party until the attorney’s appearance has been entered. No attorney shall be entitled to confer with the prosecuting authority as counsel for the defendant in a criminal case until the attorney’s appearance has been so entered.
Section 3-7.Consequence of Filing Appearance
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceExplains what filing an appearance accomplishes: it lets an attorney appear and be heard, triggers notice rights, and does not by itself waive jurisdictional or constitutional defenses.
Full Text of Section 3-7
(b) After the filing of an appearance, the attorney or self-represented party shall receive copies of all notices required to be given to parties by statute or by these rules.
(c) The filing of an appearance by itself shall not waive the right to attack defects in jurisdiction or any claimed violation of constitutional rights. (See also Secs. 630, 631, 1056.1, P.B. 1978-1997.)
Amendment History
(P.B. 1998.)
Plain-English Summary
Section 3-7 describes the legal effect of filing an appearance. Under subsection (a), an attorney generally cannot appear in court or be heard for a party until the appearance has been entered, and cannot confer with the prosecuting authority as counsel for a criminal defendant until then either — unless the judicial authority grants leave. Under subsection (b), once an appearance is filed, the attorney or self-represented party starts receiving copies of all notices that statutes or the rules require to be given to parties.
Subsection (c) makes clear that filing an appearance is not, by itself, a concession. It does not waive the right to attack defects in jurisdiction or to raise a claimed violation of constitutional rights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can an attorney appear in court before filing an appearance?
Generally no. Except by leave of the judicial authority, an attorney cannot appear in court or be heard for a party until the appearance has been entered.
What happens once an appearance is filed?
The attorney or self-represented party begins receiving copies of all notices that statutes or the rules require to be given to parties.
Does filing an appearance waive jurisdictional defenses?
No. Filing an appearance by itself does not waive the right to attack defects in jurisdiction or raise a claimed violation of constitutional rights.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 3-7). 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: effect of filing an appearance CTdoes appearance waive jurisdiction Connecticutright to be heard before appearance filednotice rights after filing appearance