# Connecticut — Anti-SLAPP special motion deadlines, fee-shifting and discovery stay by state

For Connecticut, deadline to file the motion is Any party filing a special motion to dismiss shall file such motion not later than thirty days after the return date of the complaint, or the filing of a counterclaim or cross claim described in subsection (b) of this section; attorney's fees for the prevailing party is If the court grants a special motion to dismiss under this section, the court shall award the moving party costs and reasonable attorney's fees, including such costs and fees incurred in connection with the filing of the special motion to dismiss; statute is Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-196a, recorded from its source on 2026-09-02.

- **State:** Connecticut _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Deadline to file the motion:** Any party filing a special motion to dismiss shall file such motion not later than thirty days after the return date of the complaint, or the filing of a counterclaim or cross claim described in subsection (b) of this section. _(verified: appears in its own passage below)_
- **Attorney's fees for the prevailing party:** If the court grants a special motion to dismiss under this section, the court shall award the moving party costs and reasonable attorney's fees, including such costs and fees incurred in connection with the filing of the special motion to dismiss. _(verified: appears in its own passage below)_
- **Effect on discovery:** The court shall stay all discovery upon the filing of a special motion to dismiss. The stay of discovery shall remain in effect until the court grants or denies the special motion to dismiss and any interlocutory appeal thereof. _(verified: appears in its own passage below)_
- **Statute:** Conn. Gen. Stat. § 52-196a _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_

## What the source says

> Any party filing a special motion to dismiss shall file such motion not later than thirty days after the return date of the complaint, or the filing of a counterclaim or cross claim described in subsection (b) of this section.

## Where each value comes from

This source states these in separate places, so each value is shown with the passage that states it.

### Deadline to file the motion

> Any party filing a special motion to dismiss shall file such motion not later than thirty days after the return date of the complaint, or the filing of a counterclaim or cross claim described in subsection (b) of this section.

### Attorney's fees for the prevailing party

> If the court grants a special motion to dismiss under this section, the court shall award the moving party costs and reasonable attorney's fees, including such costs and fees incurred in connection with the filing of the special motion to dismiss.

### Effect on discovery

> The court shall stay all discovery upon the filing of a special motion to dismiss. The stay of discovery shall remain in effect until the court grants or denies the special motion to dismiss and any interlocutory appeal thereof.

## Source

- https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_900.htm

Last verified: 2026-09-02. Review by: 2027-09-02.
Part of [Anti-SLAPP special motion deadlines, fee-shifting and discovery stay by state](https://referencesource.org/anti-slapp-motion-provisions-by-state/).