What are the CLE requirements for inactive attorneys in Connecticut?

Yes — Connecticut provides specific exemptions from its CLE (MCLE) requirement, including for judges, new admittees, those earning under $1,000 in legal compensation, and attorneys granted exempt status.

Under Connecticut Practice Book § 2-27A(a), those categories are carved out from the 12-credit rule, subject to conditions and approval.

Details / Exceptions

• Judges, senior judges, trial referees, family support magistrates, workers’ compensation commissioners, elected constitutional officers, federal judges, federal magistrates, federal administrative law judges, and federal bankruptcy judges are exempt.
• Attorneys who are disbarred, resigned, on inactive status, or retired (per P.B. §2-55, 2-56 etc.) are exempt.
• Attorneys serving on active U.S. military duty > six months in a year are exempt.
• Attorneys in the calendar year they are admitted to practice in Connecticut are exempt.
• Attorneys who earn less than $1,000 in compensation for legal services in that year are exempt (the rule clarifies that it must be genuine compensation, not billing without payment).
• Attorneys may also petition the Statewide Grievance Committee for permanent or temporary exempt status for “good cause shown.”
• Even if exempt from credits, attorneys often must submit a request or claim the exemption (e.g. via the “Request for Exempt Status” form).

Key Takeaway
Connecticut law grants limited CLE exemptions (for judges, new admittees, military service, low-earning attorneys, etc.), but those seeking exemption must follow the rule’s procedures and cannot assume all attorneys qualify.

If you miss Connecticut’s CLE reporting deadline, you may receive a noncompliance notice and be required to certify compliance within 60 days. The Connecticut Rule 2-27A gives attorneys at least 60 days to comply before further action is taken.

Noncompliance Under Rule 2-27A

• The court or the Commission sends a notice of noncompliance.
• The attorney then has 60 days to certify compliance or remedy the deficiency.
• If the attorney fails to comply after 60 days, further disciplinary or administrative proceedings may follow.

Key Takeaway: In Connecticut, missing the CLE reporting deadline triggers a 60-day cure period under Rule 2-27A, after which disciplinary steps may follow if compliance is not achieved.

No — Connecticut does not impose a separate CLE requirement specifically for judges; judges adhere to the same MCLE obligations as other attorneys.

Connecticut’s MCLE rule (Practice Book § 2-27A) mandates that every attorney admitted in the state must complete 12 CLE credits per year (with at least 2 in ethics).

There is no separate parallel regime for judicial continuing education under Connecticut court rules or statutes.

Key Takeaway: Judges in Connecticut are treated like any attorney for CLE purposes and have no distinct judicial CLE requirement.

Connecticut attorneys must complete 12 CLE credit hours each calendar year. At least 2 of those hours must be in ethics or professionalism.

Annual CLE Requirements in Connecticut

• Total requirement: 12 credit hours per calendar year
• Ethics requirement: 2 credit hours
• Carryover: up to 2 credit hours may be carried to the following year
• Awarded credit: actual instruction time (i.e., credit by minute)

Reporting & Compliance

• Reporting is part of the annual attorney registration; certification by January 31
• No course-by-course reporting required—attorneys keep records for audit up to 7 years
• Newly admitted attorneys are exempt in their year of admission

Provider Support

• Sprout Education tracks eligible CLE credit hours and assists attorneys in maintaining compliance

Key Takeaway: Connecticut requires 12 CLE hours annually, including 2 ethics hours, allows a carryover of up to 2 hours, and uses a self-reporting system with certification on annual registration.

Connecticut attorneys must complete 12 CLE credit hours per calendar year, including 2 hours in ethics.
The CLE requirement was adopted effective January 1, 2017, and Connecticut’s program is self-reporting under Practice Book § 2-27A.

Details
• Total: 12 credits annually.
• Ethics/Professionalism: At least 2 of the 12 credits must fall in this category.
• Carryover: Attorneys may carry forward up to 2 credits from the prior year.
• Reporting: Certification is made via the annual attorney registration form; Connecticut does not require submission of detailed course reports.
• Recordkeeping: Attorneys must retain CLE records for seven years.
• Exemptions: Newly admitted attorneys are exempt for their admission year; other exemptions exist under rule criteria.

Key Takeaway: Connecticut requires 12 CLE credits annually (2 in ethics), with up to 2 credits carried over, self-reporting via annual registration, and seven years of record retention.

Yes — Connecticut allows carryover of up to 2 credit hours (including ethics) to the following year.

Connecticut’s CLE “Continuing Legal Education Log” form states that “no more than 2 credit hours … may be carried forward” to the next year. ([jud.ct.gov](https://www.jud.ct.gov/webforms/forms/CE001.pdf))

Details & nuances

• Under Practice Book § 2-27A and the Connecticut CLE Log form, attorneys who earn more than 12 credits (or more than required) may carry forward up to 2 credits (120 minutes) into the next calendar year.
• The carryover credits must have been earned but not used in the prior year.
• The CLE log explicitly distinguishes “carryover credit hours from previous calendar year (Not more than 2 credit hours)” as part of the total credit calculation.
• The Connecticut Judicial Branch’s MCLE FAQ also notes that you may carry over two hours of voluntary credit (including ethics) from 2016 into 2017 toward the 12-hour total.
• There is no indication in the rule or forms that new-admittees have a different carryover allowance beyond the general 2-credit cap.

Key Takeaway

Connecticut permits a modest carryover of up to 2 CLE credits (including ethics) into the next compliance year, but only those earned and unused in the prior year.