When any action has been commenced in the name of the wrong person as the plaintiff, the judicial authority may, if satisfied that it was so commenced through mistake and that it is necessary for the determination of the real matter in dispute so to do, allow any other person to be substituted or added as the plaintiff. (See General Statutes § 52-109 and annotations.)
Section 9-20.—Substituted Plaintiff
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceIf a Connecticut lawsuit was mistakenly started in the wrong person's name as plaintiff, the court may substitute or add the correct plaintiff when that is necessary to resolve the real dispute.
Full Text of Section 9-20
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 101.)
Plain-English Summary
Section 9-20 addresses cases where the plaintiff’s name on the writ turns out to be wrong. If the court is satisfied that the action began in the wrong person’s name through mistake, and that fixing this is necessary to determine the real matter in dispute, the court may allow another person to be substituted for, or added alongside, the original plaintiff.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if a lawsuit is filed under the wrong plaintiff's name in Connecticut?
Under Section 9-20, the court may allow the correct person to be substituted or added as plaintiff if the wrong name was used through mistake and fixing it is necessary to resolve the real dispute.
Does the plaintiff have to prove the naming error was accidental?
The court must be satisfied that the action was commenced in the wrong person’s name through mistake before it will allow a substitution or addition.
Can a new plaintiff be added instead of replacing the original one?
Yes, Section 9-20 allows the court to either substitute the correct person as plaintiff or add that person alongside the original plaintiff.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 9-20). 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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