State Court Motion for Continuance - Connecticut
MOTION TO CONTINUE TRIAL
| Party | Role |
|---|---|
| [PLAINTIFF] | Plaintiff |
| v. | |
| [DEFENDANT] | Defendant |
| Court | Case details |
|---|---|
| Superior Court of Connecticut | Judicial District of [____________] at [____________] |
| Docket number | [____________] |
| Current trial assignment | [__/__/____] at [____] |
| Motion filed | [__/__/____] |
[MOVING PARTY]'S MOTION TO CONTINUE TRIAL
[Moving party], through [counsel / self-represented party], moves to continue the trial assigned for [CURRENT DATE] to [PROPOSED DATE OR LATER DATE THE COURT SELECTS]. Good cause for a later trial assignment exists under Practice Book § 14-18 for the reasons stated below.
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Current assignment and case posture. The court assigned this matter for trial on [__/__/____]. The current trial date is [__/__/____]. The remaining issues for trial are [____________]. The following pretrial dates or orders bear on this request: [____________].
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Reason for the requested continuance. [State the concrete event, when it arose, and why it prevents a fair or orderly trial on the assigned date: ________________________________________]. Supporting document or affidavit, if any: [____________].
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Diligence. On [DATE], the moving party first learned of the circumstance. The steps taken to avoid or resolve it were [____________]. The moving party filed this motion on [DATE] because [____________].
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Proposed length and scheduling. A continuance of approximately [____] days is requested. [Identify dates when parties and essential witnesses can appear: ____________]. This proposal [explain its effect on other assigned cases and related deadlines: ____________].
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Other parties and previous requests. There have been [____] prior continuances, granted on [DATES] for [REASONS]. On [DATE], [MOVING PARTY] contacted [OTHER PARTY / COUNSEL], whose position is ☐ consents ☐ opposes ☐ has not responded; explanation: [____________]. The effect of delay on the other party is [____________].
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Absent witness or missing evidence, if relevant. ☐ This motion is based on an absent material witness or missing material evidence. Identify the witness or evidence, the particular facts it would establish, the basis for that belief, steps taken to secure it, and why it cannot be available for trial on the assigned date: [____________]. Under Practice Book § 14-24, an affidavit with these particulars may be required by the court or adverse party; an affidavit is ☐ attached ☐ to be supplied if required. The same rule also applies to missing material documents or other evidence.
Practice Book § 14-18 allows a later trial assignment for good cause, while § 14-23 permits the court, when granting a motion to continue an assigned trial, to require reasonable indemnity to the adverse party. Counsel understands that § 5-10 subjects a request made without cause or unnecessary delay to sanctions. This motion is made for the factual reasons above.
Requested order: Continue the assigned trial to [__/__/____] or a date selected by the court, and adjust these related deadlines only as specified in the court's order: [____________].
Dated [__/__/____].
Signature: __________________________________
Printed name and capacity: [________________________________]
Connecticut Juris number, if counsel: [____________]
Address, phone, and email: [________________________________]
Supporting affidavit for absent witness or missing evidence, if required
I, [NAME], being duly sworn, state from personal knowledge or identify the grounds of my belief:
- The absent material witness is [NAME, IF KNOWN], or the missing material document/evidence is [EXACT DESCRIPTION].
- The particular facts expected to be proved are [____________]. My grounds for believing this are [____________].
- Steps taken to obtain the witness or evidence for the assigned trial were [____________]. It is unavailable on [DATE] because [____________].
- The earliest reasonably expected availability is [DATE], based on [____________].
Affiant signature: __________________________________ Date: [__/__/____]
Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me by [AFFIANT NAME] on [__/__/____].
Signature of officer administering oath: ______________________________
Printed name and title: [________________________________]
Certification of service
I certify that on [__/__/____] I sent a copy of this motion and its attachments to every counsel and self-represented party of record by [METHOD], addressed as follows:
| Recipient | Address or electronic service destination |
|---|---|
| [____________] | [____________] |
| [____________] | [____________] |
Signature: __________________________________ Printed name: [____________]
Sources and references
- Connecticut Judicial Branch, 2026 Connecticut Practice Book, §§ 5-10, 14-18, 14-23, and 14-24: https://www.jud.ct.gov/Publications/PracticeBook/PB.pdf
About this template
- Last updated
- October 4, 2026
- Citations checked
- October 4, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- Connecticut
- Category
- Litigation & Court Documents
Legal authority
- Conn. Practice Book § 5-10 (Sanctions for counsel's failure to appear or delay without cause)
- Conn. Practice Book § 14-18 (Cases reached for trial; good cause for later assignment)
- Conn. Practice Book § 14-23 (Motion to continue or postpone case assigned for trial)
- Conn. Practice Book § 14-24 (Absent witness or missing evidence)
These are the filings that drive a lawsuit through the system: complaints, answers, motions, briefs, discovery requests and responses, and post-judgment papers. Each has its own format requirements under federal and state procedural rules, and each has a deadline that cannot be missed without consequences. Clean, procedurally correct filings move a case forward; sloppy ones invite motions to strike, amended responses, and avoidable delays.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on October 4, 2026.
Conn. Practice Book § 5-10 (checked October 4, 2026): "Counsel who fails to appear on a scheduled date for any hearing or trial or who requests a continuance without cause or in any other way delays a case unnecessarily will be subject to sanctions pursuant to General Statutes § 51-84."
Conn. Practice Book § 14-18 (checked October 4, 2026): "When a case is reached on a day or week certain it shall be tried, defaulted, dismissed pursuant to Section 17-19 or nonsuited, unless for good cause shown the judicial authority may assign it for trial on a future date."
Conn. Practice Book § 14-23 (checked October 4, 2026): "Whenever a motion for a postponement or continuance of a case assigned for trial is made by either party and such motion is granted, the court may require the party making the same to pay to the adverse party such sum by way of indemnity as it deems reasonable."
Conn. Practice Book § 14-24 (checked October 4, 2026): "Whenever a motion is made for the postponement or continuance of a cause assigned for trial on account of the absence of a material witness, such motion, if the adverse party or the judicial authority requires it, shall be supported by an affidavit stating the name of the absent witness, if known, and the particular facts which, it is believed, may be proved by him or her, with the grounds of such belief."
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