Section 10-21.Joinder of Causes of Action

Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026

In one sentenceThis rule lets a plaintiff combine both legal and equitable claims in one complaint, but if several causes of action are joined together they must all fall within one of seven listed categories, such as contract claims or claims arising from the same transaction.

Full Text of Section 10-21

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In any civil action the plaintiff may include in the complaint both legal and equitable rights and causes of action, and demand both legal and equitable remedies; but, if several causes of action are united in the same complaint, they shall all be brought to recover, either (1) upon contract, express or implied, or (2) for injuries, with or without force, to person and property, or either, including a conversion of property to the defendant’s use, or (3) for injuries to character, or (4) upon claims to recover real property, with or without damages for the withholding thereof, and the rents and profits of the same, or (5) upon claims to recover personal property specifically, with or without damages for the withholding thereof, or (6) claims arising by virtue of a contract or by operation of law in favor of or against a party in some representative or fiduciary capacity, or (7) upon claims, whether in contract or tort or both, arising out of the same transaction or transactions connected with the same subject of action. The several causes of action so united shall all belong to one of these classes, and, except in an action for the foreclosure of a mortgage or lien, shall affect all the parties to the action, and not require different places of trial, and shall be separately stated; and, in any case in which several causes of action are joined in the same complaint, or as matter of counterclaim or setoff in the answer, if it appears to the judicial authority that they cannot all be conveniently heard together, it may order a separate trial of any such cause of action or may direct that any one or more of them be deleted from the complaint or answer. (See General Statutes § 52-97 and annotations.)

End

Amendment History

(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 133.)

Plain-English Summary

A plaintiff can put both legal and equitable rights and causes of action in the same complaint, and can ask for both legal and equitable remedies. But once several causes of action are joined in one complaint, they all have to belong to the same category from a set list: contract claims, injuries to person or property, injuries to character, claims to recover real property, claims to recover personal property, claims arising from a representative or fiduciary role, or claims arising from the same transaction or transactions connected to the same subject of the action.

The joined claims must all belong to one of these classes, and, except in mortgage or lien foreclosure actions, must affect all the parties to the case, must not call for different places of trial, and must be stated separately. If the judicial authority finds that the joined claims cannot conveniently be heard together, it can order a separate trial for one of them or direct that it be dropped from the complaint or answer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Connecticut complaint include both legal and equitable claims?

Yes. Section 10-21 allows a plaintiff to include both legal and equitable rights and causes of action in one complaint and to demand both legal and equitable remedies.

What kinds of claims can be joined together in one complaint?

Joined claims must all fall into one class: contract claims, injuries to person or property, injuries to character, claims for real property, claims for personal property, claims tied to a representative or fiduciary capacity, or claims arising from the same transaction or transactions connected to the same subject of the action.

What happens if joined claims cannot conveniently be heard together?

The judicial authority may order a separate trial for one or more of the joined causes of action, or direct that any of them be deleted from the complaint or answer.

Do joined claims need to involve the same parties?

Except in actions to foreclose a mortgage or lien, joined causes of action must affect all the parties to the action and must not require different places of trial.

Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 10-21). Prescribed by the Judges of the Superior Court of Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 51-14). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 9, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: combining multiple claims in one lawsuit Connecticutjoinder of causes of action CTjoining legal and equitable claimscan I sue on more than one claim at onceseparate trial of joined claimsGeneral Statutes 52-97 joinder