§ 9-1. Continuance for Absent or Nonresident Defendant

Every civil action in which the defendant is an inhabitant of this state but is absent therefrom at the commencement of the suit and continues to be absent until after the return day, without having entered any appearance therein, shall be continued or postponed for thirty days by order of the judicial authority. If the defendant does not then appear and no special reason is shown for further delay, judgment by default may be rendered against the defendant. If the defendant is not an inhabitant or resident of this state at the commencement of the action and does not appear therein, the judicial authority shall continue or postpone it for a period of three months and may, if it deems further notice advisable, direct such further notice of the pendency of the action to be given to the defendant by publication in some newspaper, or otherwise, as it deems expedient, or may authorize any person empowered to serve process by the laws of the foreign jurisdiction in which such defendant resides to serve upon such defendant a copy of the summons and complaint and of the order of notice and such person shall make affidavit of his or her doings thereon on the original order of notice. If, upon the expiration of such three months, the defendant does not then appear and no special reason is shown for further delay, judgment may be rendered against such defendant by default. Upon the expiration of any such continuance, it shall be presumed prima facie that no special reason for further delay exists. In actions of foreclosure, including prayers for relief incident thereto and part thereof, judgment may then be rendered upon the plaintiff's motion for judgment of foreclosure. The provisions of this section shall not apply in the case of any civil action brought under and pursuant to General Statutes § 47-33 or § 52-69 and no continuance or postponement of any such action or additional notice of the pendency thereof shall be required unless the judicial authority so orders. (See General Statutes § 52-87 and annotations.)