(a) An attorney or party whose appearance has been filed shall be deemed to have withdrawn such appearance upon the filing of a new appearance that is stated to be in place of the appearance on file in accordance with Section 3-8. Appropriate entries shall be made in the court file. An attorney or party whose appearance is deemed to have been withdrawn may file an appearance for the limited purpose of filing an objection to the in place of appearance at any time.
Section 3-9.Withdrawal of Appearance; Duration of Appearance
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceSets out when an appearance counts as withdrawn: through an in-place-of filing, through new counsel taking over, through a limited-appearance completion certificate, through 180 days after a dissolution judgment, or through court leave.
Full Text of Section 3-9
(b) An attorney may withdraw his or her appearance for a party or parties in any action after the appearance of other counsel representing the same party or parties has been entered. An application for withdrawal in accordance with this subsection shall state that such an appearance has been entered and that such party or parties are being represented by such other counsel at the time of the application. Such an application may be granted by the clerk as of course, if such an appearance by other counsel has been entered.
(c) In addition to the grounds set forth in subsections (a), (b), and (d), a lawyer who represents a party or parties on a limited basis in accordance with Section 3-8 (b) and has completed his or her representation as defined in the limited appearance, shall file a certificate of completion of limited appearance on Judicial Branch form JD-CL-122. The certificate shall constitute a full withdrawal of a limited appearance. Copies of the certificate must be served in accordance with Sections 10-12 through 10-17 on the client, and all attorneys and self-represented parties of record.
(d) All appearances of counsel shall be deemed to have been withdrawn 180 days after the entry of judgment in any action seeking a dissolution of marriage or civil union, annulment, or legal separation, provided no appeal shall have been taken. In the event of an appeal or the filing of a motion to open a judgment within such 180 days, all appearances of counsel shall be deemed to have been withdrawn after final judgment on such appeal or motion or within 180 days after the entry of the original judgment, whichever is later. Nothing herein shall preclude or prevent any attorney from filing a motion to withdraw with leave of the court during that period subsequent to the entry of judgment. In the absence of a specific withdrawal, counsel will continue of record for all postjudgment purposes until 180 days have elapsed from the entry of judgment or, in the event an appeal or a motion to open a judgment is filed within such 180 day period, until final judgment on that appeal or determination of that motion, whichever is later.
(e) Except as provided in subsections (a), (b), (c) and (d), no attorney shall withdraw his or her appearance in any civil, criminal, family, juvenile or other matter after it has been entered upon the record of the court without the leave of the court.
(f) All appearances in juvenile matters shall be deemed to continue during the period of delinquency probation supervision or probation supervision with residential placement, family with service needs supervision, any commitment to the Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families pursuant to General Statutes § 46b-129 or protective supervision. An attorney appointed by the chief public defender to represent a parent in a pending neglect or uncared for proceeding shall continue to represent the parent for any subsequent petition to terminate parental rights if the attorney remains under contract to the Office of the Chief Public Defender to represent parties in child protection matters, the parent appears at the first hearing on the termination petition and qualifies for appointed counsel, unless the attorney files a motion to withdraw pursuant to Section 3-10 that is granted by the judicial authority or the parent requests a new attorney. The attorney shall represent the client in connection with appeals, subject to Section 35a-20 or 35a-20A, and with motions for review of permanency plans, revocations or postjudgment motions and shall have access to any documents filed in court. The attorney for the child shall continue to represent the child in all proceedings relating to the child, including termination of parental rights and during the period until final adoption following termination of parental rights.
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 77.) (Amended June 26, 2006, to take effect Jan. 1, 2007; amended June 30, 2008, to take effect Jan. 1, 2009; amended June 21, 2010, to take effect Jan. 1, 2011; amended June 15, 2012, to take effect Jan. 1, 2013; amended June 14, 2013, to take effect Oct. 1, 2013; amended June 24, 2016, to take effect Jan. 1, 2017; amended June 13, 2019, to take effect Jan. 1, 2020; amended June 10, 2022, to take effect Jan. 1, 2023.)
Plain-English Summary
Section 3-9 lays out several distinct paths by which an appearance ends. Under subsection (a), an appearance is deemed withdrawn once a new appearance is filed stating it's in place of the one on file under Section 3-8; the withdrawn attorney or party may still file a limited appearance just to object to that in-place-of filing. Under subsection (b), an attorney may withdraw after another attorney has entered an appearance for the same party; the withdrawal application must state that the other appearance has been entered and that the party is being represented by that other counsel, and the clerk may grant it as of course.
Under subsection (c), an attorney who completed a limited appearance under Section 3-8 (b) files a certificate of completion on form JD-CL-122, which fully withdraws the limited appearance and must be served on the client and all other counsel and self-represented parties of record. Under subsection (d), in an action for dissolution of marriage or civil union, annulment, or legal separation, all appearances of counsel are deemed withdrawn 180 days after entry of judgment, provided no appeal has been taken; if an appeal or motion to open judgment is filed within those 180 days, withdrawal instead happens after final judgment on the appeal or motion, or 180 days after the original judgment, whichever is later. An attorney may still move to withdraw with leave of court during that period. Under subsection (e), outside of the situations in subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d), an attorney can't withdraw an entered appearance without leave of court. Under subsection (f), appearances in juvenile matters continue through delinquency or family-with-service-needs supervision, commitment to the Department of Children and Families, or protective supervision, and the section describes specific continuing-representation duties for attorneys appointed in neglect, uncared-for, and termination of parental rights proceedings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long after a divorce judgment does an attorney’s appearance last?
All appearances of counsel are deemed withdrawn 180 days after entry of judgment in a dissolution, annulment, or legal separation action, provided no appeal has been taken.
What happens to the 180-day period if someone files an appeal?
If an appeal or a motion to open the judgment is filed within the 180 days, appearances are instead deemed withdrawn after final judgment on the appeal or motion, or 180 days after the original judgment, whichever is later.
How does an attorney end a limited appearance once the work is done?
The attorney files a certificate of completion of limited appearance on Judicial Branch form JD-CL-122, which constitutes a full withdrawal and must be served on the client and all other parties of record.
Can an attorney withdraw an appearance whenever they want?
No. Outside the specific situations described in subsections (a), (b), (c), and (d), an attorney may not withdraw an entered appearance without leave of the court.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 3-9). 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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