Where to go
Hartford Superior Court, Geographical Area 14, is at 101 Lafayette Street, Hartford, CT 06106, just south of downtown and connected by a walkway to the Judicial District courthouse at 95 Washington Street. It is part of the Hartford Judicial District. The clerk's office number is 860-566-1630. The building is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Everyone passes through security screening, and the line at GA 14 may be long by 9:00 a.m. Leave pocket knives, pepper spray, and anything that could be taken as a weapon in your car. Phones are allowed but must be silenced in the courtroom.
Parking
There is no free public lot. Paid parking is in garages and surface lots on Lafayette Street, Washington Street, and the surrounding blocks; street parking is metered and scarce on court mornings. If you are coming from the Enfield area, allow 35 to 50 minutes by car on Interstate 91 plus time to park. CTtransit buses stop nearby. The building is wheelchair accessible.
What happens at arraignment here
Your first court date is called an arraignment. If you were released from the police station on a bond or a promise to appear, the date is printed on the paperwork you were given. If you were held overnight, you will be brought to court the next business day, usually from Hartford Correctional Center on Weston Street.
Arraignments at GA 14 are on the morning docket, and the docket is large. When you arrive, you or your attorney check in with the State's Attorney's office, not the clerk, so the prosecutor knows you are present. Then wait to be called; it can take most of the morning. On a family violence arrest, a Family Relations officer will usually meet with you before the judge takes the bench, and a protective order is typically issued at this first appearance. Read more on the arraignment and protective orders pages.
Bring the paperwork from your arrest, a photo ID, and the name of your attorney if you have one. If you cannot afford a lawyer, go to the public defender's office in the courthouse and apply before your case is called. Leave children at home if you can, and do not discuss your case with anyone in the hallway.
Common charges heard at GA 14 include DUI, domestic violence and family violence, assault, drug possession, and shoplifting and larceny. Arrests at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks come to this court.
Which police departments bring cases here
Arrests by the Hartford, West Hartford, Bloomfield, Windsor, Windsor Locks, East Windsor, Enfield, or Suffield police departments come to GA 14, as do Connecticut State Police arrests in East Granby, on Interstate 91 and Interstate 84 within these towns, and at Bradley Airport. If your paperwork says Enfield Superior Court or 111 Phoenix Avenue, that courthouse has closed and your case is in Hartford. If you were arrested in East Hartford or Manchester, your case is at Manchester Superior Court, GA 12. Wethersfield and Newington arrests go to New Britain Superior Court, GA 15.