Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a § 47a-39
(Formerly Sec. 52-546). Court may grant stay of execution.
Operative Text
Upon the hearing on such application in the Superior Court the judgment of the trial court shall stand, but upon such hearing if it appears that the premises, judgment for possession or occupancy of which has been rendered, are used for dwelling purposes and are not excluded by the provisions of section 47a-36; that the applicant cannot secure suitable premises for himself and his family elsewhere within the city or town or in a city or town adjacent thereto in a neighborhood reasonably comparable to that in which the premises occupied by him are situated; that he has used due diligence and reasonable effort to secure other premises; that his application is made in good faith, and that he will abide by and comply with such terms and provisions as the court may prescribe, the court may grant a stay of execution for a period or for periods in the aggregate not exceeding six months from the date of the judgment in the summary process action upon such conditions and terms as appear fair and equitable, except that such stay of execution shall not exceed three months in the aggregate if the reason for the judgment against the defendant was nonpayment of rent; provided in the case of an applicant who is a resident in a mobile manufactured home park and owns his own unit and has received notice pursuant to subparagraph (E) of subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 21-80 or an applicant who is a conversion tenant, as defined in section 47-283, or who at the time of conversion was residing in a dwelling unit in a building or on property which has been declared a conversion condominium, at the end of such six-month period the court may extend such stay of execution under the same or different conditions and terms for an additional period not exceeding nine months taking into consideration the age of the applicant, the size of the applicant's family, the length of time of such applicant's tenancy and the availability of suitable alternative housing. Such extended stay may be reviewed every two months. The court shall consider all the circumstances of the case, the equities involved and whether any undue hardship would result to either party. Such conditions and terms may include the requirement that the applicant shall pay to the plaintiff in the summary process action such amount in such installments from time to time and in such manner as the court may direct, for the use and occupancy of the premises for such period of the stay, at the rate to which he was liable as rent for the month immediately prior to the expiration of his term or tenancy, if any, and any assessment for current common expenses not already included in the rent as provided in subsection (b) of section 47-76, if any, or such sum as may be determined by the court to be reasonable for such use and occupancy. Such payment shall also include all rent unpaid prior to the period of such stay.
Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-39, a Connecticut Superior Court may pause the enforcement of an eviction judgment for up to six months—or only three months when the eviction was based on nonpayment of rent—if the tenant meets specific criteria, including demonstrating a genuine inability to find comparable housing nearby and acting in good faith. For mobile home park residents who own their unit and certain condominium conversion tenants, the court may extend the stay by an additional nine months beyond the initial period. During any stay, the court may require the tenant to continue paying occupancy charges at the prior rent rate, including any unpaid back rent.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-39 means that even after a landlord wins a summary process (eviction) judgment, a court can delay enforcement for up to six months—or three months in nonpayment cases—if the tenant satisfies the statutory criteria. Compliant operators typically document the terms of any court-ordered stay carefully, continue to track occupancy payments the court directs, and monitor whether the tenant is abiding by the conditions set. Landlords should also be aware that for certain mobile home park owners and conversion tenants, the court has authority to extend the stay by up to nine additional months.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 47a-39 gives tenants the right to apply to the Superior Court for a stay of eviction after a judgment has been entered against them, provided they can show they have diligently searched for comparable housing without success and are acting in good faith. Tenants who qualify—including certain mobile home park residents and condominium conversion tenants—may be eligible for extended protection beyond the initial stay period. Tenants facing eviction may want to explore this option through a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office, as the court weighs all circumstances and equities, including potential hardship to both parties.
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.
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