(a)(1) The mortgagee or a person authorized by law to release the mortgage shall execute and deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the town clerk of the town in which the real estate is situated or, if so requested in writing by the mortgagor or a designated representative of the mortgagor, to the mortgagor or the designated representative of the mortgagor, a release to the extent of the satisfaction tendered before or against receipt of the release: (A) Upon the satisfaction of the mortgage; (B) upon a bona fide offer to satisfy the mortgage in accordance with the terms of the mortgage deed upon the execution of a release; (C) when the parties in interest have agreed in writing to a partial release of the mortgage where that part of the property securing the partially satisfied mortgage is sufficiently definite and certain; or (D) when the mortgagor has made a bona fide offer in accordance with the terms of the mortgage deed for such partial satisfaction on the execution of such partial release.

1. (2) If a release is not delivered to the mortgagor or a designated representative of the mortgagor in accordance with subdivision (1) of this subsection, the mortgagee or a person authorized by law to release the mortgage shall deliver a copy of such release to the mortgagor concurrently with the delivery of such release to the town clerk.
2. (b) The plaintiff or the plaintiff's attorney shall execute and deliver a release when an attachment has become of no effect pursuant to section 52-322 or section 52-324 or when a lis pendens or other lien has become of no effect pursuant to section 52-326.
3. (c) The mortgagee or plaintiff or the plaintiff's attorney, as the case may be, shall execute and deliver a release within sixty days from the date a written request for a release of such encumbrance (1) was sent to such mortgagee, plaintiff or plaintiff's attorney at the person's last-known address by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, or (2) was received by such mortgagee, plaintiff or plaintiff's attorney from a private messenger or courier service or through any means of communication, including electronic communication, reasonably calculated to give the person the written request or a copy of it. The mortgagee or plaintiff shall be liable for damages to any person aggrieved at the rate of two hundred dollars for each week after the expiration of such sixty days up to a maximum of five thousand dollars or in an amount equal to the loss sustained by such aggrieved person as a result of the failure of the mortgagee or plaintiff or the plaintiff's attorney to execute and deliver a release, whichever is greater, plus costs and reasonable attorney's fees.

(1949 Rev., S. 7112; 1963, P.A. 590, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 595, S. 1; P.A. 79-10; 79-602, S. 68; P.A. 89-347, S. 18; P.A. 93-147; P.A. 95-102, S. 1; P.A. 03-19, S. 111; P.A. 23-45, S. 2.)

History: 1963 act applied provisions with respect to bona fide offers to satisfy mortgage wholly or partially upon execution of release or partial release and with respect to agreements for partial release; 1969 act applied provisions when an attachment has become of no effect pursuant to Sec. 52-322 or 52-324 and when lis pendens or other lien has become of no effect, required that request be sent to last-known address by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid and return receipt requested, and raised fine from $5 to $50 per week, imposing ceiling of $1,000; P.A. 79-10 raised fine to $100 per week, raised dollar amount of ceiling to $5,000 and provided for maximum payment of amount equal to loss sustained because of failure to execute and deliver release, if that amount is greater; P.A. 79-602 divided section into Subsecs. and restated provisions but made no substantive changes; P.A. 89-347 amended Subsec. (c) by increasing liability from $100 to $200 per week for failure to provide a release and removed the $5,000 ceiling; P.A. 93-147 amended Subsec. (c) to allow written request for release to be conveyed, carried or delivered by a private messenger or courier; P.A. 95-102 revised wording of Subsec. (c), changed time for release from 30 to 60 days and imposed maximum fine of $5,000 plus costs and reasonable attorney's fees; P.A. 03-19 made technical changes in Subsecs. (a) and (c), effective May 12, 2003; P.A. 23-45 redesignated existing Subsec. (a) as Subsec. (a)(1) and added provision therein re delivery or causing delivery of release to town clerk or, if requested, to mortgagor or representative, redesignated existing Subsec. (a)(1) to (a)(4) as Subsec. (a)(1)(A) to (a)(1)(D) and added new Subsec. (a)(2) re delivery of copy of release to mortgagor concurrently with delivery of release to town clerk if release not delivered to mortgagor or representative.