Domestication and Collection of Foreign Judgments in Connecticut

This article originally appeared in the July 2025 edition of MortgagePoint magazine, online now.

When a court outside Connecticut, whether in another U.S. state or a foreign country, issues a judgment, that judgment cannot automatically be enforced against a debtor’s assets Connecticut. Before any collection efforts can begin, the judgment must first be formally recognized through Connecticut’s domestication process.  

Connecticut law establishes two primary procedures for recognizing and enforcing such judgments, depending on how the judgment was originally obtained. Judgments that qualify under the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act (UEFJA), codified at Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-604 et seq., may be domesticated through a relatively simple filing process. Judgments that do not meet the UEFJA’s requirements, such as those entered by default or confession, require the creditor to file a separate civil action in Connecticut under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-607.  

This article provides an overview of the legal procedures for domesticating out-of-state and foreign-country judgments in Connecticut. It explains the enforcement tools available once the judgment is recognized.  

Domestication Under the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 52-604 et seq.)

Connecticut’s adoption of the UEFJA provides a streamlined process for enforcing certain judgments rendered by courts of other U.S. states. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-604, a “foreign judgment” is defined as any judgment, decree, or order of a court of the United States or any other state that is entitled to full faith and credit in Connecticut. The statute excludes judgments obtained by default in appearance or by confession of judgment.  

Procedure: 

• Obtain an authenticated judgment. The creditor must obtain an authenticated copy of the judgment from the originating state, certified under court seal in accordance with the authentication requirements of the issuing jurisdiction. 

• File the judgment and affidavit with the court. The creditor must file the authenticated judgment, together with a sworn affidavit, with the clerk of the Connecticut Superior Court. The affidavit must include the names and last known addresses of both the judgment creditor and debtor, confirm that the judgment remains unsatisfied in whole or in part, state the amount currently due, affirm that the judgment was not obtained by default in appearance or by confession of judgment, and confirm that enforcement has not been stayed. 

• Serve notice of the filing. Within 30 days of filing, the creditor must serve notice of the filing of the foreign judgment on the judgment debtor by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, directed to the debtor’s last known address, as required by Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-605(c). Proof of service must be filed with the court. 

• Await expiration of the appeal period and address stays. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-605(b), once the foreign judgment is filed, it has the same effect as a Connecticut judgment and is subject to the same procedures for enforcement, reopening, vacating, or staying. Connecticut law imposes a 20-day appeal period, during which an automatic stay of enforcement applies under Practice Book § 61-11, barring executions or garnishments. The debtor may also seek a stay under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-606 if an appeal is pending or contemplated in the rendering court, if a stay has been granted there, or for other grounds applicable to Connecticut judgments. As a practical matter, the clerk will not issue an execution until the appeal period has expired and proof of service of the judgment filing has been provided. Although Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-605(c) allows up to 30 days to serve notice, creditors should complete service promptly to avoid clerk’s office delays.  

Once the notice has been served, the appeal period has expired, and any objections have been resolved, the foreign judgment becomes fully enforceable in Connecticut. The creditor may then proceed with Connecticut’s post-judgment enforcement remedies, including executions, garnishments, judgment liens, and discovery in aid of execution.  

Example: A commercial lender obtains a $450,000 judgment in New Jersey following trial. The judgment debtor, an individual guarantor, subsequently relocates to Connecticut and maintains bank accounts in the state. Because the judgment was not entered by default in appearance or by confession of judgment, it qualifies for domestication under Connecticut’s UEFJA. The lender files the authenticated judgment and the required affidavit with the Connecticut Superior Court and serves notice on the debtor in accordance with Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-605. After the statutory notice period expires without objection, the judgment is recognized as a Connecticut judgment. The creditor then proceeds with post-judgment enforcement, including a bank execution under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-367b.  

Enforcement Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-607: Civil Action for Recognition

When a foreign judgment was obtained by default in appearance or by confession of judgment, it is not eligible for the simplified registration process under Connecticut’s UEFJA. In these situations, the judgment creditor must proceed under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-607 by filing a civil action in Connecticut Superior Court seeking recognition and enforcement of the judgment. This provision preserves Connecticut’s traditional common law procedure for enforcing foreign judgments.  

Procedure: The creditor may proceed in one of two ways: 

• Standard Civil Complaint: The creditor may file a complaint in the Connecticut Superior Court seeking recognition of the foreign judgment. The complaint must include an authenticated copy of the judgment, assert that the judgment is entitled to full faith and credit, and state that the judgment is final, unsatisfied, and enforceable in the rendering jurisdiction. 

• Motion for Summary Judgment in Lieu of Complaint: Alternatively, under Practice Book § 17-44 et seq., the creditor may file a motion for summary judgment in lieu of complaint when the action is based on a judgment. This procedure allows the creditor to commence the action by serving a summons together with the motion for summary judgment, supporting affidavits, and an authenticated copy of the judgment, rather than filing a conventional complaint. The creditor must demonstrate that the judgment is entitled to full faith and credit and remains final, unsatisfied, and enforceable. The debtor may respond by raising only the limited defenses permitted under Connecticut law, consistent with principles of full faith and credit.  

Permissible Defenses Are Limited: Connecticut courts do not permit relitigation of the underlying claim. The debtor’s defenses are narrowly limited to: 

• Lack of personal jurisdiction over the defendant or subject matter jurisdiction in the rendering court.  

• Proof that the judgment has been satisfied, vacated, or is no longer final or enforceable in the rendering jurisdiction. 

• Lack of due process, including inadequate notice or opportunity to be heard, or fraud in the procurement of the judgment. 

• The judgment being contrary to Connecticut public policy, a defense narrowly construed and rarely sustained.  

Once recognized by the Connecticut court under § 52-607, the foreign judgment is treated as a Connecticut judgment for all enforcement purposes, including execution, garnishment, lien enforcement, and post-judgment discovery.  

Example: A finance company obtains a $300,000 default judgment in Illinois after the borrower fails to appear in the action. The borrower later establishes a business presence in Connecticut. Because the judgment was entered by default in appearance, it does not qualify for domestication under Connecticut’s UEFJA. The creditor commences a civil action in Connecticut Superior Court under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-607 seeking recognition of the Illinois judgment. The debtor appears and attempts to challenge the underlying debt, but the court limits the defenses to jurisdiction, due process, and other defenses permitted under Connecticut law, declining to revisit the merits of the original claim. The court grants recognition of the foreign judgment, which is then fully enforceable in Connecticut. The creditor proceeds with collection efforts, including the filing of judgment liens and property executions.  

Available Post-Domestication Collection Tools

Once a foreign judgment has been properly domesticated, whether through the UEFJA or a civil action under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-607, it is treated as a Connecticut judgment for all enforcement purposes. The judgment creditor may then utilize the full range of post-judgment collection remedies authorized under Connecticut law. These include: 

• Bank Executions: Creditors may garnish funds held in the debtor’s Connecticut deposit accounts. Upon service of the execution by a state marshal, the financial institution must freeze nonexempt funds and, following expiration of the statutory holding period, release the funds for application to the judgment. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-367b) 

• Wage Executions: A portion of the debtor’s wages may be garnished directly from the employer. The employer is required to withhold a portion of the debtor’s disposable income and remit the funds through the state marshal for application to the judgment. Wage executions are effective where the debtor maintains consistent employment. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-361a) 

• Property Executions: Creditors may seize and sell nonexempt tangible personal property, including vehicles, business equipment, or inventory. Property executions are particularly useful when the debtor holds valuable personal property located in Connecticut. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-356a) 

• Real Property Liens: A judgment lien may be recorded against real property owned by the debtor in Connecticut. The lien clouds marketable title and may be satisfied through sale, refinance, or foreclosure. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-380a) 

• Foreclosure of Judgment Liens: Where equity exists in the real property, the creditor may initiate foreclosure proceedings to force a sale and apply proceeds to satisfy the judgment. 

• Debtor Examinations and Discovery in Aid of Execution: Creditors may conduct post-judgment discovery through written interrogatories or oral examinations under oath to identify assets, liabilities, and income sources. Discovery may reveal assets subject to execution, including accounts, receivables, and business interests. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-351b et seq.) 

• Charging Orders: A charging order allows the creditor to intercept financial distributions owed to a debtor who holds a membership interest in a Connecticut limited liability company or partnership. The creditor does not obtain management rights but is entitled to receive distributions until the judgment is satisfied. (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 34-259b, 34-349)  

The selection of enforcement remedies depends on the nature and location of the debtor’s assets, income sources, and financial circumstances. In many cases, employing multiple remedies simultaneously enhances the creditor’s ability to secure meaningful recovery.  

Conclusion: Domestication as a Prerequisite to Enforcement

Before an out-of-state or foreign-country judgment can be enforced in Connecticut, the judgment must first be properly domesticated in accordance with Connecticut law. Depending on how the judgment was obtained, domestication is accomplished either through statutory registration under the UEFJA or by filing a civil action under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-607.  

Once domesticated, the judgment becomes fully subject to Connecticut’s post-judgment enforcement remedies. A full understanding of these procedures is critical for any creditor seeking to enforce a judgment against a debtor with assets or business operations in Connecticut.