Sec. 52-50. Persons to whom process shall be directed.
Sec. 52-56. Service of process outside of officer's precinct.
Sec. 52-50. Persons to whom process shall be directed. (a) All process shall be directed to a state marshal, a constable or other proper officer authorized by statute, or, subject to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, to an indifferent person. A direction on the process “to any proper officer” shall be sufficient to direct the process to a state marshal, constable or other proper officer.
(b) Process shall not be directed to an indifferent person unless authorized by statute. Any indifferent person who, knowing that he is not authorized to do so under this section or any other provision of the general statutes, serves process shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
(c) Service of motions for modification, motions for contempt and wage withholdings in any matter involving a beneficiary of care or assistance from the state and in other IV-D child support cases may be made by any investigator employed by the Commissioner of Administrative Services or the Commissioner of Social Services.
(d) Service of motions for modification, motions for contempt and wage withholdings in any matter involving child support, including, but not limited to, petitions for support authorized under sections 17b-745 and 46b-215, and those matters involving a beneficiary of care or assistance from the state, and service of other process in IV-D support cases, as defined in subdivision (13) of subsection (b) of section 46b-231, may be made by a support enforcement officer or support services investigator of the Superior Court.
(e) Borough bailiffs may, within their respective boroughs, execute all legal process which state marshals or constables may execute.
(1949 Rev., S. 7771; 1967, P.A. 828; P.A. 76-334, S. 8, 12; P.A. 77-452, S. 26, 67, 72; 77-594, S. 5, 7; 77-614, S. 70, 521, 610; P.A. 79-560, S. 21, 39; P.A. 82-160, S. 10; P.A. 83-295, S. 16; P.A. 90-213, S. 36, 56; P.A. 93-262, S. 74, 87; 93-396, S. 6; P.A. 00-99, S. 108, 154; P.A. 01-195, S. 57, 181; P.A. 04-257, S. 79; P.A. 13-194, S. 12; P.A. 14-86, S. 2; P.A. 23-23, S. 4.)
History: 1967 act authorized investigators employed by finance and control commissioner to make service of motions for modification or contempt or wage executions in matters involving beneficiaries of state care or assistance; P.A. 76-334 extended provision added in 1967 to apply to investigators of social services commissioner and added similar provision empowering court domestic relations officers to act in matters involving child support; P.A. 77-452 removed reference to domestic relations officers of court of common pleas, that court's functions having been transferred to superior court by P.A. 76-436, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-594 specifically included petitions for support as a matter involving child support and authorized family relations officers and support services investigators power to act in such matters; P.A. 77-614 replaced commissioner of finance and control with commissioner of administrative services and, effective January 1, 1979, replaced commissioner of social services with commissioner of human resources; P.A. 79-560 extended power to make service of motions, etc. to investigators of commissioner of income maintenance; P.A. 82-160 rephrased section, inserted Subsec. indicators and added Subsec. (e) which was formerly Sec. 52-66; P.A. 83-295 amended Subsec. (d) to delete a reference to service by a “domestic relations officer” or “family relations officer” and to authorize service by a family relations caseworker, family relations counselor or support enforcement officer; P.A. 90-213 deleted provisions concerning family relations caseworker and family relations counselor; P.A. 93-262 changed reference in Subsec. (c) from commissioners of income maintenance and human resources to commissioner of social services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-396 replaced the word “executions” with “withholdings”; P.A. 00-99 replaced references to sheriff and deputy sheriff with state marshal in Subsec. (a), effective December 1, 2000; P.A. 01-195 substituted “state marshals” for “sheriffs” in Subsec. (e), effective July 11, 2001; P.A. 04-257 made technical changes in Subsec. (d), effective June 14, 2004; P.A. 13-194 amended Subsec. (d) to add provision re service of other process in IV-D support cases, as defined in Sec. 46b-231(b)(13); P.A. 14-86 amended Subsec. (b) by adding provision re indifferent person who serves process, knowing that he is not authorized to do so, to be guilty of a class A misdemeanor; P.A. 23-23 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing existing provisions concerning when process may be directed to indifferent persons with “unless authorized by statute”.
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Sec. 52-56. Service of process outside of officer's precinct. (a) If any officer has commenced the service of any civil process within his precinct, he may attach the property of, or serve the process upon, any defendant named in the process outside of his precinct. An officer shall not be deemed to have commenced service in any civil action by process of foreign attachment or garnishment by service on the garnishee therein, unless the garnishee has concealed in his possession, at the time of the service, the property of the defendant or is indebted to him.
(b) If there are two or more defendants, any of whom reside outside of the precinct of the officer commencing service or, in any action in case of attachment of property or in case of foreign attachment or garnishment, if any defendant or garnishee resides outside of the precinct of the officer commencing service, any officer may serve the process upon such of the defendants or garnishees as reside within his precinct, and may then (1) complete the service himself upon any defendant or garnishee residing outside his precinct, or (2) deliver the process to an officer of another precinct for service upon any defendant or garnishee residing in the other precinct and each officer serving the same shall endorse his actions thereon. The officer completing the service shall include in his endorsement a copy of the endorsement upon the writ of the officer commencing service and shall return the process to court.
(c) In any action where process is permitted to be served upon the Secretary of the State, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, the Attorney General, the Insurance Commissioner or the Comptroller, service of such process may be made by any officer of any precinct having such process in his hands for service. Service by an officer upon the Secretary of the State, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, the Attorney General, the Insurance Commissioner or the Comptroller pursuant to this subsection shall constitute the commencement of service within such officer's precinct and such officer may then complete service as provided in subsection (a) or (b) of this section.
(d) The execution or service of any capias issued pursuant to section 52-143 or 54-2a or any warrant or capias mittimus issued by a court or family support magistrate in a family support matter may be made in any precinct in the state by any state marshal of any precinct or any special policeman appointed under section 29-1g, having such capias, warrant or capias mittimus, or a copy thereof made by any photographic, micrographic, electronic imaging or other process, which clearly and accurately copies such original document, in his hands for service.
(e) Any state marshal of any precinct may serve any person confined in any correctional institution or community correctional center in this state.
(1949 Rev., S. 7788; P.A. 82-160, S. 14; P.A. 85-232, S. 1; P.A. 86-286, S. 1; P.A. 87-196, S. 1; 87-589, S. 86, 87; P.A. 05-135, S. 1; P.A. 06-149, S. 24; P.A. 10-178, S. 2; P.A. 23-23, S. 6.)
History: P.A. 82-160 rephrased section and inserted Subsec. indicators; P.A. 85-232 added Subsec. (c), permitting service of process by any officer of any precinct in any action where process may be served upon secretary of the state and the commissioner of motor vehicles pursuant to Secs. 52-57, 52-59b, 52-62 and 52-63; P.A. 86-286 added Subsec. (d) permitting officer to serve civil process outside precinct in action initiated within precinct of such officer; P.A. 87-196 amended Subsec. (b) by permitting officer to complete service himself upon defendant or garnishee residing outside precinct if there are two or more defendants and one resides within his precinct, and deleting requirement that writ be directed to officers of both precincts, and deleted Subsec. (d) permitting service outside precinct if action initiated within precinct; P.A. 87-589 changed effective date of P.A. 87-196, S. 1. from October 1, 1987, to May 18, 1987; P.A. 05-135 made a technical change in Subsec. (b) and added Subsec. (d) re execution or service of capias, warrant or capias mittimus in any precinct by state marshal of any precinct, effective June 24, 2005; P.A. 06-149 amended Subsec. (d) to include special policemen appointed under Sec. 29-1g and permit use of a copy of a capias, warrant or capias mittimus; P.A. 10-178 amended Subsec. (c) to delete limitation that service upon named state official must be permitted pursuant to Secs. 52-57, 52-59b, 52-62 and 52-63, include actions where process may be served upon Attorney General or Insurance Commissioner and add provision re service upon any of named state officials constitutes commencement of service within officer's precinct and officer may then complete service and added Subsec. (e) re service on person confined in correctional institution or community correctional center; P.A. 23-23 amended Subsec. (c) to include references to service upon the Comptroller and make conforming changes.
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