(a) The judges of the Superior Court, at their annual meeting in June, shall appoint: (1) Chief clerks for the judicial districts; (2) deputy chief clerks for those judicial districts designated by an authorized committee of the judges; (3) first assistant clerks for those judicial districts designated by an authorized committee of the judges; (4) clerks for the geographical areas; (5) a clerk for the Centralized Infractions Bureau; and (6) clerks for housing matters, including a chief clerk for housing matters.

(b) The judges of the Superior Court or an authorized committee thereof shall appoint, as is deemed necessary for the efficient operation of the courts, (1) assistant clerks for judicial districts and geographical areas and (2) deputy clerks for those geographical areas designated by the judges of the Superior Court or an authorized committee thereof.

(c) A judge holding a session of the Superior Court may, if he deems it necessary, appoint a temporary assistant clerk or clerks for the Superior Court. A temporary assistant clerk shall hold office for such time as is deemed necessary for the convenient conduct of the business of the court in which he was appointed and may at any time be discharged by the order of the senior acting judge holding court in the district for which he was appointed.

(d) The judges of the Superior Court or an authorized committee of Superior Court judges may, in their discretion, appoint such administrative and clerical personnel as the business of the court requires.

(e) The judges or an authorized committee thereof may fill any vacancy which may occur in the clerks' offices.

(f) The Chief Court Administrator may assign, reassign or modify the assignment of such clerical personnel as he deems necessary for the efficient operation of the courts.

(g) Whenever the word “clerk” is used in the general statutes to mean the clerk of the Superior Court, it shall, except with respect to compensation, be construed to include any chief clerk, deputy chief clerk, deputy clerk, assistant clerk of the court and the clerk of the Centralized Infractions Bureau unless the context otherwise requires.

(1949 Rev., S. 7662, 7663; June, 1955, S. 3132d; 1957, P.A. 445, S. 7; 1963, P.A. 394, S. 2; 1972, P.A. 165, S. 3; June, 1972, P.A. 1, S. 20; P.A. 73-72, S. 1, 2; P.A. 76-436, S. 10a, 36, 681; P.A. 77-576, S. 18, 65; P.A. 78-365, S. 4, 13; 78-379, S. 5, 27; P.A. 79-503, S. 1, 3; P.A. 80-201, S. 1, 9; 80-448, S. 4, 8; P.A. 81-419, S. 6, 11; P.A. 82-248, S. 48; 82-461, S. 5, 15; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-25, S. 1, 9; P.A. 84-262, S. 1; 84-441, S. 1, 4; 84-529, S. 1; P.A. 85-414, S. 1, 5; 85-446, S. 1, 6; P.A. 86-403, S. 83, 132; P.A. 87-262, S. 1.)

History: 1963 act authorized assistant clerks to sign process or other documents; 1972 acts included clerks for the judicial district of Waterbury, effective September 5, 1972; P.A. 73-72 required biennial rather than annual appointment of clerks; P.A. 76-436 returned to annual appointment of clerks, clarified appointments to be made by replacing requirement for appointments for each county, judicial district of Waterbury and court at Stamford with provisions of Subdivs. (a) to (e), deleted provision whereby any judge could fill vacancy in office of assistant clerk until next annual meeting of judges or until appointee removed by a special meeting of judges, classified clerks as chief clerks, deputy chief clerks, clerks, deputy clerks and assistant clerks rather than as clerks and assistant clerks, added provision re powers of clerical or administrative assistants, defined “clerk” and authorized chief court administrator to assign, reassign or modify assignment of clerical personnel, effective July 1, 1978; Sec. 51-168 transferred to Sec. 51-51v in the 1977 Court Reorganization Supplement; P.A. 77-576 replaced references to specific counties with references to their replacement judicial districts and deleted general references to counties or substituted “judicial districts” for them as necessary, effective July l, 1978; P.A. 78-365 provided for appointment of chief clerk at Bridgeport and at Stamford for Fairfield judicial district and added provisions re appointment and duties of assistant clerk for housing matters in judicial district of Hartford-New Britain, effective December 1, 1978; P.A. 78-379 reiterated amendment of P.A. 78-365 re appointment of clerks for Fairfield judicial district; P.A. 79-503 added exception re number of clerks for the geographical area including Hartford in Subdiv. (c); P.A. 80-201 deleted provisions re appointment of chief clerk at Bridgeport and at Stamford and appointment of deputy chief clerk “at Bridgeport” for Fairfield judicial district; P.A. 80-448 made position of assistant clerk for housing matters permanent, removing provision whereby said clerk was to serve for 19 months beginning December 1, 1978; P.A. 81-419 increased the number of assistant clerks appointed for housing matters from one to two and provided for the appointment of clerk for the judicial district of New Haven; P.A. 82-248 rephrased and reorganized section, divided section into Subsecs., inserted provisions formerly in Sec. 51-27b re appointment of assistant clerks and clerical personnel, deleted provisions concerning duties of housing clerks and reenacted such provisions as part of Sec. 51-52, deleted provisions concerning the powers of deputy and assistant clerks and reenacted such provisions as part of Sec. 51-52a and deleted a provision concerning the oaths of clerks and reenacted it as part of Sec. 51-57; P.A. 82-461 provided for the appointment of an assistant clerk for housing matters for each of the judicial districts of Fairfield, Waterbury and Stamford-Norwalk; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-25 amended Subsec. (a) to provide for the appointment of a chief clerk at New Haven and at Meriden in the judicial district of New Haven and to specify that the assistant clerks for housing matters in the judicial district of New Haven serve “at New Haven”; P.A. 84-262 amended Subsec. (a) to change the name of “assistant clerks for housing matters” to “clerks for housing matters”, to reduce the number of clerks for housing matters for the New Haven judicial district from two to one and to provide for the appointment of one clerk to serve as chief clerk for housing matters and to clarify that housing clerks were to be appointed at judges' annual meeting in June; P.A. 84-441 provided for the appointment of a deputy chief clerk for the Stamford-Norwalk judicial district; P.A. 84-529 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting language requiring annual appointment of assistant clerks by judges of the superior court at their annual meeting in June; P.A. 85-414 amended Subsec. (a) to include a chief clerk at New London and at Norwich in the judicial district of New London, effective December 2, 1985, upon certification of the chief court administrator that courthouse at New London is operational; P.A. 85-446 included clerk for the centralized infractions bureau in appointment provisions and in definition of “clerk”, effective October 1, 1986; P.A. 86-403 revised effective date of P.A. 85-414 but without affecting this section; P.A. 87-262 amended Subsec. (a) to replace provisions concerning the appointment of specific numbers of clerks for specific locations with general provisions concerning the appointment of clerks and to authorize the appointment of first assistant clerks, designated as Subsec. (b) provisions derived from former Subsec. (a) re appointment of assistant clerks and deputy clerks, deleted former Subsec. (b) re appointment of clerks and assistant clerks to be located at each office of the superior court and the staffing of such offices with other clerical personnel, amended Subsec. (d) to change clerical “assistants” to clerical “personnel” and amended Subsec. (e) to delete provision authorizing the judges or a committee to remove any clerk or administrative or clerical assistant.

See Sec. 3-96 re list of Superior Court judges and officials kept by Secretary of the State.

See Sec. 51-57 re court clerks' oath, duties, etc.

See Sec. 51-166 re annual meeting of Superior Court judges.

See Sec. 51-201 re appointment of chief clerk of Supreme Court.

Annotations to former section 51-168:

General duties of clerk of Supreme Court. 70 C. 337. In absence of clerk, his assistant is the clerk; 80 C. 619; he may allow an appeal. 83 C. 136. Act of clerk as act of court; established usage as justifying. 84 C. 458.

Annotation to present section:

Cited. 193 C. 670.