Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a § 47a-37
(Formerly Sec. 52-544). Application for stay of execution.
Operative Text
(a) Within a period of five days after a judgment has been rendered for a plaintiff under the provisions of section 47a-26, 47a-26a, 47a-26b or 47a-26d for any reason other than (1) nonpayment of rent, (2) nuisance committed or permitted by the defendant, (3) the use of or permitting the use of the premises for an immoral or illegal purpose, or (4) the ground set forth in subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 47a-23, any defendant against whom such judgment has been rendered may file an application in triplicate with the clerk of the superior court in which the judgment was rendered, requesting a stay of execution and setting forth the reasons therefor, except that in the case of a judgment rendered against a defendant for nonpayment of rent, if within five days of the date of such judgment the defendant deposits with the clerk of the court the full arrearage, the defendant may then apply for a stay of execution in accordance with this section. The clerk shall distribute such arrearage to the plaintiff in accordance with an order of the court. (b) The court rendering the judgment shall inform each defendant in such case of his right to file an application for a stay of execution and, upon request, shall furnish him with the necessary form. Upon the filing of such an application, execution of the judgment rendered shall be further stayed until a decision is rendered on the application. The clerk of the court rendering the judgment shall forthwith hand or send one copy of the application to the adverse party or his attorney, shall note on the original and each copy the date of filing and the date and method of transmittal of the copy to the adverse party or his attorney, and shall file the original and one copy of the application with the complete court records, papers and exhibits in connection with such proceedings.
Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-37, a tenant who has lost an eviction judgment may request a temporary pause—called a stay of execution—by filing an application with the court clerk within five days of the judgment. This right applies in most eviction cases, though it is generally unavailable when the judgment was based on nuisance, illegal use of the premises, or certain other specified grounds. In nonpayment-of-rent cases, a tenant can still pursue a stay if the full amount owed is deposited with the court clerk within that same five-day window. Once an application is filed, the eviction is automatically paused until the court rules on the request.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-37 gives tenants a short window after an eviction judgment to apply for a stay of execution, which temporarily halts enforcement of that judgment. Compliant operators typically account for this potential delay when planning unit turnover, since a filed application automatically suspends execution until the court decides the matter. In nonpayment cases, landlords should be aware that the court clerk is directed to distribute any deposited arrearage to the plaintiff according to a court order, so those funds are not indefinitely withheld.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-37 establishes a right for most tenants facing eviction judgments to apply for a stay of execution, which pauses enforcement while the application is pending. The court is required to inform defendants of this right and to provide the necessary form upon request, so tenants can ask the clerk directly if they are unsure how to proceed. Tenants facing a nonpayment judgment who can gather the full arrearage within five days may also be eligible to apply for a stay; tenant-rights organizations in Connecticut can help individuals understand which eviction grounds qualify and what documentation to prepare.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 17, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.