(a) All documents filed in paper format shall be typed or printed on size 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper, shall have no back or cover sheet, and shall include a page number on each page other than the first page. Those subsequent to the complaint shall be headed with the title and number of the case, the name of the court, and the date and designation of the particular pleading, in conformity with the applicable form in the rules of practice which is set forth in the Appendix of Forms in this volume.
Section 4-1.Form of Pleading
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceSets the physical and electronic format for filed pleadings in Connecticut: paper size, page numbering, headings, a reserved blank space for the clerk's filing stamp, and specific hole-punch measurements for paper filings.
Full Text of Section 4-1
(b) At the bottom of the first page of each paper, a blank space of approximately two inches shall be reserved for notations of receipt or time of filing by the clerk and for statements by counsel pursuant to Section 11-18 (a) (2). Papers shall be punched with two holes, two and twelve-sixteenths inches apart, each centered seven-sixteenths of an inch from the upper edge, one being two and fourteen-sixteenths inches from the lefthand edge and the other being the same distance from the right-hand edge, and each four-sixteenths of an inch in diameter.
(c) All documents filed electronically shall be in substantially the same format as required by subsection (a) of this section.
(d) The clerk may require a party to correct any filed paper which is not in compliance with this section by substituting a paper in proper form.
(e) This section shall not apply to forms supplied by the Judicial Branch or generated by the electronic filing system.
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 118.) (Amended Aug. 24, 2001, to take effect Jan. 1, 2002; amended June 20, 2011, to take effect Jan. 1, 2012; amended June 13, 2014, to take effect Jan. 1, 2015.)
Plain-English Summary
This section spells out how a pleading has to look. Paper filings go on standard 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper, with no cover sheet and a page number on every page but the first. Every document after the complaint needs a heading with the case title and number, the court name, the date, and what kind of pleading it is, matching the format in the rules’ Appendix of Forms.
The bottom of the first page must leave roughly two inches blank for the clerk’s filing notations and certain counsel statements. Paper filings also need two holes punched at specific measurements — each about seven-sixteenths of an inch from the top edge and roughly two and fourteen-sixteenths inches in from each side, four-sixteenths of an inch in diameter. Electronic filings must follow the same format substantially, and the clerk can require a party to fix and resubmit a paper that doesn’t comply. Judicial Branch forms and forms generated by the e-filing system are exempt.
Frequently Asked Questions
What paper size does Connecticut require for court filings?
All paper filings must be typed or printed on standard 8 1/2-by-11-inch paper.
Do electronic filings need to match the paper format?
Yes. Documents filed electronically must be in substantially the same format required for paper filings under subsection (a).
What happens if a filed paper doesn’t comply with the format rules?
The clerk may require the party to correct the paper and substitute one that meets the formatting requirements.
Why is blank space required at the bottom of the first page?
That roughly two-inch space is reserved for the clerk’s notations of receipt or filing time and for certain statements by counsel.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 4-1). 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: Connecticut pleading paper sizecourt filing format requirements CTpage number requirement pleadingshole punch requirements court filingelectronic filing format Connecticut