(a) As used in this section, ‘‘record’’ means any affidavit, document, or other material.
Section 7-4B.Motion To File Record under Seal
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceA party asking the court to seal or limit disclosure of a record must lodge it with the court when filing the motion, back it with a legal memorandum, and follow set steps depending on whether the motion is granted or denied.
Full Text of Section 7-4B
(b) A party filing a motion requesting that a record be filed under seal or that its disclosure be limited shall lodge the record with the court pursuant to Section 7-4C when the motion is filed, unless the judicial authority, for good cause shown, orders that the record need not be lodged. The motion must be accompanied by an appropriate memorandum of law to justify the sealing or limited disclosure.
(c) If necessary to prevent disclosure, the motion, any objection thereto, and any supporting records must be filed in a public redacted version and lodged in a nonredacted version conditionally under seal.
(d) If the judicial authority denies the motion to seal or to limit disclosure, the clerk shall either (1) return the lodged record to the submitting party and shall not place it in the court file or (2) upon written request of the submitting party retain the record as a lodged record so that in the event the submitting party appeals the denial of the motion, the lodged record can be part of the record on appeal of the final judgment in the case. In the latter event or if the judicial authority grants the motion, the clerk shall follow the procedure set forth in Section 7-4C (e). If the lodged record is retained pursuant to (2) above, the clerk shall return it to the submitting party or destroy it upon the expiration of the appeal period if no appeal has been filed.
Amendment History
(Adopted May 14, 2003, to take effect July 1, 2003; amended June 21, 2004, to take effect Jan. 1, 2005.)
Rules Committee Commentary
Plain-English Summary
For purposes of this section, a “record” means any affidavit, document, or other material. A party filing a motion to have a record filed under seal, or to limit its disclosure, must lodge the record with the court under Section 7-4C when the motion is filed, unless the judicial authority, for good cause shown, orders that the record need not be lodged. The motion must come with a memorandum of law justifying the sealing or limited disclosure.
If necessary to prevent disclosure, the motion, any objection to it, and any supporting records must be filed in a public redacted version and lodged in a nonredacted version conditionally under seal.
If the judicial authority denies the motion, the clerk either returns the lodged record to the submitting party without placing it in the court file, or, if the submitting party requests in writing, retains it as a lodged record so it can become part of the record on appeal if the denial is appealed. If the motion is granted, or if the record is retained under the second option, the clerk follows the procedure in Section 7-4C(e). A record retained after a denial is returned to the submitting party or destroyed once the appeal period expires with no appeal filed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a 'record' under this section?
Any affidavit, document, or other material.
Do I need to lodge the record when I file a motion to seal it?
Yes, ordinarily you must lodge the record under Section 7-4C when you file the motion, unless the judicial authority orders for good cause shown that lodging is unnecessary.
What happens to the lodged record if the motion to seal is denied?
The clerk returns it to the submitting party without placing it in the court file, unless that party asks in writing to retain it as a lodged record in case the denial is appealed.
Does a motion to seal need supporting legal argument?
Yes. It must be accompanied by a memorandum of law justifying the sealing or limited disclosure.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 7-4B). 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: how to seal a court record Connecticutmotion to file under seal CTlimiting disclosure of court documentsCT Practice Book 7-4Blodging record with motion to seal
COMMENTARY—2003: Sections 7-4B and 7-4C are necessary to provide a uniform procedure for the filing of motions to seal records and the processing of such motions by the clerks. These rules are based on Rule 243.2 of the California Rules of Court. HISTORY—2005: In 2005, the words ‘‘or limited disclosure’’ were added to the end of subsection (b).
COMMENTARY—2005: The above change made the rule internally consistent.