CT State Marshal

Your CT State Marshal, delivering fast, reliable, professional service of Civil Process in New Haven County.

About

Service of Process

A Connecticut State Marshal is the only official authorized by law to serve Civil Process in the State of Connecticut.

Service of process

Attorneys & Paralegals

Try our office for your next service, and see the difference. State Marshal Brian Mezick is a full-service state marshal’s office handling service of all kinds of legal process, subpoenas, evictions, executions, garnishments, and federal process. Our fully-staffed office is always available to answer your questions. We strive to exceed your expectations and provide prompt and reliable service. Our legal background and attention to detail will ensure your simple to highly complicated matter can be served in a professional and knowledgeable manner. Marshal Mezick wants your service done the right way, the first time. He knows your service is important. Marshal Mezick has the support of a full service office in New Haven with knowledgeable, helpful staff. Our operation ensures prompt service turnaround times and attention to detail.

Contact us today at (203) 684-3100

Email:   statemarshal@mezick.com
Mailing Address: State Marshal Brian Mezick, 35 Elm Street, New Haven, CT 06510-2023

FedEx/UPS: If utilizing overnight delivery, please waive signature requirements
Drop off: Our office is located at the Atwater Building at 35 Elm Street in downtown New Haven, in walking distance from the courthouses.

Statute of Limitation? No problem!

Get your process to our office on or before your statute of limitation. We frequently accept and receive legal process on the statute date. Our timely service and affidavits will ensure your case is served and in compliance with Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-593a.

Attorneys/Paralegals

When sending us process, we ask that you put together your service per common practice and procedure in Connecticut.  Lawyers and law firms furnish the state marshal with a complete original (signed-in-pen) summons and complaint, along with sufficient copies for service on each defendant. We ask you send us a cover letter with your service instructions, and that the cover letter list each defendant and their service address. An example of a formatted transmittal cover letter can be found here. The reason original signed process is required is because a true and attested copy (of the original) must be served, see Conn. Gen. Stat. 52-57. Moreover, the State Marshal Commission Administrative Bulletin 18-04 requires State Marshals to comply with this procedure, as the Judicial Branch has determined that a Summons must be actually signed by an Commissioner of the Superior Court. An electronic signature or juris number is not legally sufficient to sign a summons.

Service of process

Out of State Process

Out of state law firm or litigant? We can serve legal process in Connecticut which originates from other jurisdictions outside the State of Connecticut. While we can serve such process statewide, our service area for out of state process is generally New Haven County and also the state agencies in Hartford, including the Secretary of State, Insurance Commissioner, Attorney General, Department of Motor Vehicles, and also the CT State Police. We also serve registered agents CT Corporation System and Corporation Service Company, which accept service for many businesses in the State of Connecticut. You may wish to verify the agent of service for a CT business with the CT Secretary of State before service.

When sending out of state process to us for service, please include:

Service of process

Connecticut attorneys & paralegals

Do you have a summons & complaint with one or several defendants? State Marshal Brian Mezick can handle your service if any of the following apply:

State Marshal Brian Mezick is responsible for serving Writ, Summons & Complaints for all State and Federal Courts in such actions as:

State Marshal Brian Mezick is authorized by the General Statutes to serve and assist with the following:

Marshal Mezick strives to exceed your expectations as your CT State Marshal, providing prompt and reliable service of process, evictions and collection of Connecticut judgments.

Contact us today at (203) 684-3100

Email: statemarshal@mezick.com
Mailing Address: 35 Elm Street, New Haven, CT 06510-2023

FedEx/UPS: If utilizing overnight delivery, please waive signature requirements

If dropping papers: State Marshal Brian Mezick’s office is located in the  Atwater Building at 35 Elm Street in downtown New Haven, in walking distance from the courthouses. We can assist you at our customer window on the 1st floor

Location on lower Elm Street

35 Elm, sidewalk view

Our office on the 1st floor

Service of process

Self-Represented Parties Without An Attorney

We routinely assist self-represented parties and those who are not utilizing an attorney for their case. This includes family papers such as divorce, custody and paternity petitions, motion for modification, and motion for contempt. We also serve civil cases such small claims, notice to quit and summary process evictions.

When using our office for service, please ensure you bring your papers to our office for service as soon as possible. Most family paperwork must be served at least 12 days before the court or return date. This means the absolute last day the papers can be served is the 12th day before the court date or return date. Therefore, it is critical you provide us ample time to complete your service. As soon as you receive your papers back from the court, you should bring them to our office for service. Other kinds of papers like eviction papers have even quicker timelines for service. You can find more information on evictions here, and you may want to contact the Housing Court for more information.

When bringing papers to us for service, it is important the complete address for the defendant be listed on the paperwork. This includes the unit, apartment and/or building number. Multifamily dwellings must be listed with the correct designation, such as 1st floor, 2nd floor Right, etc. Papers cannot be served at a common address, and must be served at a specific unit. Service of process must be left at the actual apartment door. 

We generally do not serve papers on defendants at their place of employment, except in extraordinary circumstances. Generally legal process is served at the defendant or respondent’s ‘usual place of abode’. This is where the person sleeps and resides. State Marshals are not private investigators. The burden is on the party seeking to serve the papers to provide appropriate and correct address information. If you absolutely cannot locate a person when preparing your papers please contact us. If the address on the papers is invalid or unworkable, the papers cannot be served and will be returned.

What is the price to serve my papers?

We generally charge a flat rate to self-represented persons. In general, the marshal fee is calculated and includes the service fees and travel fees. Payment must be made in advance at the time you drop off the papers. Payment methods accepted include cash, check or money order only.  If the Judicial Branch has issued you a fee waiver in family matters or a fee waiver in other civil matters, the State of Connecticut will pay the marshal’s fee. Generally, a fee waiver will be granted on the second page of the waiver paperwork under the ‘Order’ section, and the box must be checked for ‘Costs of service of process not to exceed’ and the court will typically write “Statutory rate”.

You should plan on making sure you obtain the marshal’s return of service and original papers in time for you to return the paperwork to court. You can leave your number and we will call you when your papers are ready, or you we can mail it back to you. Please plan on calendaring your deadlines to ensure you file in time. If you have a fee waiver, however, we will serve and also return your papers to court, as our bill is directed to the court.  Please contact us for more information.

Our helpful office is available for drop off during business hours at 35 Elm Street in downtown New Haven, in walking distance from the courthouses. We can assist you at our customer window on the 1st floor.

Frequently Asked Questions: Coming Soon...

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35 Elm, sidewalk view

Our office on the 1st floor