Manchester Court Docket

Manchester court docket records are tracked through the Connecticut Judicial Branch system. With about 60,000 residents, Manchester is a sizable town in Hartford County with its own local GA court on Center Street. When you need to look up a case, check a hearing date, or find court filings, several free state tools can help. Manchester court docket records include civil lawsuits, criminal cases, family law filings, and probate matters. Most searches are quick and free. The state puts these records online through different search tools depending on the type of case. You can also go to the local courthouse in person or reach out to the clerk by phone or email.

Manchester Court Docket at G.A. 12

Manchester has its own Geographical Area court in town. G.A. 12 is at 410 Center Street, Manchester, CT 06040. The phone number is (860) 647-1091. This court handles criminal arraignments, misdemeanor cases, and motor vehicle matters for Manchester and several nearby towns. Having a local court in town is convenient. You can walk in during business hours and ask the clerk about a docket record, check a court date, or get copies of filed documents.

For larger cases, Manchester falls under the Hartford Judicial District. The Hartford JD courthouse is at 95 Washington Street in Hartford. That court handles civil lawsuits, family law matters, and serious criminal cases. The drive from Manchester to Hartford takes about 20 minutes on a good day, a bit longer in rush hour. Both G.A. 12 and the Hartford JD create docket records for every case they handle. A docket number gets assigned at the time of filing and stays with the case through the end.

Note: G.A. 12 also serves the towns of East Hartford, South Windsor, and several others in the area.

Search Manchester Docket Records Online

The state offers free tools to search Manchester court docket records. For civil and family cases, start with the Civil/Family Case Look-up. Enter a name and the tool pulls results from every court in Connecticut. You can filter by court location to find Manchester-area cases at the Hartford JD or G.A. 12. Results show the docket number, case type, parties, and current status. Under C.G.S. 1-200, the public has the right to access these records through the Freedom of Information Act. You don't have to be a party to a case.

The criminal case search page on the Judicial Branch website covers criminal and motor vehicle docket records.

From this page you can search criminal docket records by name or case number. The results show the court, charges, and status. There is also a link to the daily docket, which shows what cases are on the schedule at G.A. 12 or the Hartford JD on any given day. The criminal search covers conviction data for up to 10 years after sentencing. Pending cases stay visible until the court closes them.

Criminal Court Docket Records in Manchester

Criminal docket records from Manchester cases start at G.A. 12. Arraignments take place there. Misdemeanors and motor vehicle offenses usually stay at G.A. 12 through the full case. Felonies and more serious criminal matters transfer to the Hartford JD for trial. Both courts keep docket records that track charges, court appearances, pleas, and the final outcome. C.G.S. 51-36a gives the Judicial Branch authority over how these records are stored, maintained, and shared with the public.

Manchester Police are at (860) 645-5500 for arrest reports and incident records. Keep in mind that police records and court docket records are different things. The police report covers the investigation and arrest. The docket starts when the case gets filed in court. You may need both records to get the full picture of what happened.

Under C.G.S. 46b-124, juvenile criminal cases are confidential. The public cannot access juvenile docket records through any search tool or courthouse visit. This applies to cases from Manchester just like everywhere else in the state.

Manchester Probate Court Docket

Probate cases from Manchester go through the Greater Manchester Probate Court. This is District 13, at 66 Center Street, Manchester, CT 06040. Call (860) 647-3227. Estates, wills, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, and name changes all file here. The probate court runs on its own schedule and keeps its own docket records. These are separate from Superior Court files.

Online probate case records are available from 2011 forward through the state probate website. For older Manchester probate docket records, reach out to District 13 directly.

Probate records are generally open to the public. Some files involving minors or protected persons can be sealed. The Manchester Town Clerk at (860) 647-3037 handles vital records for the town. Court docket records go through the state courts, not the town clerk.

Small Claims Court Dockets in Manchester

Small claims cases from Manchester file at the local court. The Small Claims Case Look-up tool lets you search these docket records online.

Small claims docket records cover disputes up to $5,000. Common cases include unpaid bills, deposit disputes, and property damage claims. The online tool shows the case number, parties, court location, and status. If you filed a small claims case in Manchester, it will show up under G.A. 12 or the Hartford JD. Small claims hearings tend to move faster than other case types, but the docket records are kept just like any other case. The filing fee for small claims is lower than for a regular civil lawsuit, which makes it a popular option for smaller disputes. You can get the right forms from the Judicial Branch forms page.

Note: Small claims cases filed before the online system was set up may not appear in the search tool.

How to Get Manchester Docket Copies

Getting copies of Manchester court docket records takes a few steps. For active cases at G.A. 12, go to the clerk at 410 Center Street. Ask for the case by name or docket number. The clerk pulls the file and makes copies. Regular copies cost $1.00 per page. Certified copies are $2.00 per document plus the page fee. For cases at the Hartford JD, visit the clerk at 95 Washington Street in Hartford.

Closed cases that have moved to storage can be requested from the Superior Court Records Center in Enfield. Send an email to SuperiorCourtRecordsCenter@jud.ct.gov with the case name and docket number. Staff will pull the file and let you know how to get your copies. Audio recordings of hearings from November 2018 onward cost $25 per day per docket number. Court transcripts are $3.00 per page for standard service. The Manchester Mayor can be reached at (860) 647-3036 for general town questions, but court docket records go through the Judicial Branch.

Manchester Family Docket Records

Family law cases tied to Manchester file at the Hartford JD. Divorce, custody, support, and visitation cases create docket records there. Search them through the civil/family case lookup tool. Enter a name to find cases. Results show the docket number, status, hearing dates, and parties. If you need copies of documents from a Manchester family case, visit the Hartford JD clerk or email the records center for closed files.

Hartford County Court Resources

Manchester sits in Hartford County. All Manchester court docket records are part of the broader Hartford County court system. For more on courts and search tools across the whole county, visit the Hartford County court docket page. That page covers the Hartford JD, the New Britain JD, and every GA court in the county.

Nearby Cities

Several towns near Manchester also file court docket records through Hartford County courts. Check these pages for local details.