Legal Hotline

The Connecticut Association of REALTORS®, Inc. is pleased to provide this exciting member service to you and through you to your associates. The CAR Legal Information Hotline service is designed to answer members' real estate related legal questions and any questions concerning the REALTORS® Code of Ethics.

What is the Connecticut Association of REALTORS® Information Hotline?
The CAR Information Hotline is designed for members to have direct toll-free access to a qualified attorney who can provide information on real estate law, the REALTORS® Code of Ethics and other related matters. Further, this program is intended to provide legal preventative maintenance to all CAR members.

When may I call the CAR Hotline?
The hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. All calls will be returned in the order received. The attorneys will endeavor to return calls within 24 to 48 hours excluding weekends and holidays.

Who may use the service?
Any REALTOR® may have a question answered. The question must, however, be posed through a Designated REALTOR® (usually the firm’s principal broker). The only exception to this will be that a firm may instead designate a contact person for the Hotline.

Is there a charge to those who use the service?
No. It is a member service paid out of CAR’s operating budget.

Will every real estate-related question be answered?
Not necessarily. Extremely complex questions, those which require detailed review of documentation or those requiring more than 30 minutes of legal research may be declined.

How many questions may be asked?
Only one per call. The CAR Information Hotline is intended to provide a complete answer to questions posed while at the same time being open to others who wish to access the service. (Hint: write down your question before you call.)

What happens when I place a call to the CAR Legal Information Hotline?
You will be asked to identify yourself and your firm name. This will be checked against the records to ensure that a Hotline Agreement is on file. Your question will be taken down verbatim. It is expected that most questions will be answered during the initial call. If not, a follow-up call will be made before the end of the next business day.

Will an attorney always be available?
An attorney will be available to take most calls, however, in the event one is not available, you may leave a detailed and confidential voicemail.

What if I want to use the CAR Information Hotline law firm as my own attorney?
Any calls handled through the Hotline do not result in an attorney-client relationship. The Hotline is a source of legal and ethical information and no such attorney-client relationship is intended or implied.

How do I get access to the CAR Legal Information Hotline?
By telephone during the hours of operation by dialing 1-800-335-4862 and ask for extension 303 or 306. By email with "Legal Hotline" in the subject line to marconie@ctrealtor.com or johannsen@ctrealtor.com