Connecticut small claims
How to fill out Connecticut's JD-CV-40 (Small Claims Writ and Notice of Suit)
Official form: JD-CV-40 — Small Claims Writ and Notice of Suit · Walkthrough written against JD-CV-40 Rev. 11-24
Download the official form — free, from the court
The only authoritative copy of this form is the court's own. Courts re-issue forms, so downloading a fresh copy right before filing beats reusing a saved one. We link the official source and never host court forms ourselves.
Get the official JD-CV-40 from the court's site →Link verified 2026-07-04. If it has moved, the court's forms index and clerk's office will have the current version — verify with the court before filing.
What this form is
The JD-CV-40 — "Small Claims Writ and Notice of Suit" — starts a small claims case in Connecticut Superior Court's Small Claims Session. It is one statewide form with twelve numbered sections, and the official PDF's first page is the court's own section-by-section instructions.
Connecticut small claims handles money-only claims up to $5,000 — with two exceptions printed in the instructions: home improvement contract claims can reach $15,000, and a tenant suing for a wrongfully withheld security deposit can be awarded double the deposit even above $5,000. Libel and slander cases are excluded entirely.
The single most Connecticut-specific thing about this form is the order of operations: you serve the completed writ on each defendant FIRST, then file it with the court along with a Statement of Service (JD-CV-123) and the entry fee. Most states file first and serve second; Connecticut small claims is the reverse, and the form's "Next Steps" instructions walk through it.
The form, field by field
What each part of the form asks for, in the form's own order. These are descriptions of the questions — what to answer depends on facts only you know, and the court clerk or the form's own instructions are the authoritative sources.
Sections 1–4 — Court, case type, and landlord-tenant screening
1. Address of Court
The instructions give the venue rule by filer type: a landlord or tenant enters the town where the rental property is located; an individual enters the town where they live, where the defendant lives or has a business, or where the transaction or injury occurred; a business entity enters where the defendant lives or does business or where the transaction or injury occurred. An out-of-state individual defendant must own property in Connecticut to be sued here.
2. Case type code
One code from the form's printed list that best describes the case — S00 through S90 for collections, contract, and tort categories (e.g., S20 Contract - Home Improvement, S50 Tort - Motor Vehicle, S90 All Other), plus H11 (return of security deposit) and H13 (rent and/or damages) for housing.
3. "Is this claim between a landlord and a tenant?" Yes / No
A screening checkbox for the housing docket.
4. Rental property town
Completed only if question 3 is "Yes" — the town where the rental property is located.
Sections 5–7 — The parties
5. First plaintiff — name, address, telephone, e-mail, type
Your complete legal name, address, phone, and email, plus a type checkbox (individual, DBA, business organization, etc.). More than one plaintiff requires the Continuation of Parties form (JD-CV-67).
6. Attorney information
Completed only when an attorney represents the plaintiff; self-represented filers skip it.
7. Defendant(s) — one block per defendant
The complete and correct legal name, address, telephone, and email for each defendant, with a type checkbox each. The instructions emphasize complete-and-correct names; JD-CV-67 covers more than two defendants.
Sections 8–9 — Time limit and address verification
8. Consumer-debt statute of limitations explanation
If the claim is a consumer debt — a debt or obligation made primarily for personal, family, or household reasons — the form asks you to explain why you believe the statute of limitations has not expired. (The form's instructions also carry the general reminder that a time limit applies to every case type, citing General Statutes §§ 52-573 through 52-598a.) For non-consumer-debt claims this section stays blank.
9. Address verification checkboxes
The form asks how, in the last 6 months, you verified the defendant's address — checkboxes for things like town records, motor vehicle records, correspondence, other proof, and mail that didn't come back, with a date for each method checked. Connecticut requires this because the writ is served by mail-based methods and a bad address sinks the case.
Sections 10–11 — Amount and reason
10. Amount claimed
The amount you claim, excluding the filing fee, within the limits above. Checkboxes cover pre-judgment interest and the double-damages security-deposit claim where those apply.
11. Reason for claim
Space to clearly describe the case, with additional pages allowed. The instructions say copies (not originals) of supporting documents — like a lease or contract — may be attached, that attachments are not returned, and that originals come to the hearing.
Section 12 — Signature and oath
Signature and oath
The writ is sworn: you sign in front of a person authorized to take the oath (court clerk, notary, or commissioner of the Superior Court), and that person signs too. An unsworn writ is incomplete.
Common reasons clerks reject this form
Clerks bounce filings for mechanical, fixable reasons. These are the patterns that come up with this particular form:
- ⚠Filing before serving — Connecticut's sequence is serve each defendant (with the Instructions to Defendant, JD-CV-121), then file the original writ, supporting-document copies, the Statement of Service (JD-CV-123) for each defendant, and the entry fee.
- ⚠Skipping section 9 — the address-verification checkboxes are how the court knows service will reach the defendant, and a blank section invites rejection.
- ⚠Signing without the oath — section 12 requires signing before someone authorized to administer it, and their signature too.
- ⚠Suing for libel or slander — the instructions exclude those from small claims entirely.
- ⚠Claiming over $5,000 on a case that isn't a home-improvement contract or a doubled security deposit — the exceptions are specific, and everything else caps at $5,000.
- ⚠Missing the military affidavit at default time — the instructions note that if an individual defendant doesn't answer, a military affidavit is required before the case can be reviewed for default judgment.
What filing costs, and where it happens
The Connecticut small claims entry fee is $95 for most claims, paid when you file the served writ (service costs — a state marshal, or the do-it-yourself mail methods the court's service instructions describe — are separate). Fee waivers exist for those who qualify; the court's published fee schedule is the authoritative source, so verify the current amount before filing.
Small claims cases are heard at Superior Court locations, and the writ's section 1 venue rules determine which town's court address goes on the form. Filing can be done by e-filing (available to self-represented parties who enroll) or on paper at the courthouse; the form JD-CV-122 explains the service methods, and JD-CV-123 is the Statement of Service filed for each defendant.
Published fees and court locations for your county are in our Connecticut small claims guide and the court directory. Fees change — verify the current amount with the clerk before filing.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I get the JD-CV-40?
From jud.ct.gov — the official PDF is free (linked on this page) and includes the court's full instructions as page one.
How much can I sue for in Connecticut small claims?
Up to $5,000 for most claims. Home improvement contract cases can reach $15,000, and a wrongfully withheld residential security deposit can be doubled even past $5,000 — both exceptions are printed in the form's instructions.
Do I really serve the defendant before filing?
Yes — that's Connecticut's small-claims sequence, spelled out in the form's Next Steps: serve each defendant with the completed writ and the Instructions to Defendant (JD-CV-121), then file the original with the Statement of Service (JD-CV-123) and the fee. The clerk can confirm the service methods available.
What is the case type code?
A routing code the court uses to categorize the docket — the form prints the full list (S00–S90 and H11/H13) with descriptions, and section 2 asks for the single best fit.
Does the writ need to be notarized?
It must be signed under oath before someone authorized to administer it — a court clerk, notary public, or commissioner of the Superior Court — who also signs section 12.
Related guides
Form link verified: 2026-07-04. Reviewed against our Editorial Standards.
This is general information to help you understand the form — not legal advice, and not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney about your specific situation. Courts revise forms, fees, and procedures; the court's own instructions and your court clerk are the authoritative sources. Always verify with the court before filing.