State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > Connecticut > Title54 > Chap960 > Sec54-53

      Sec. 54-53. Release by correctional officials. Each person detained in a community correctional center pursuant to the issuance of a bench warrant of arrest or for arraignment, sentencing or trial for an offense not punishable by death shall be entitled to bail and shall be released from such institution upon entering into a recognizance, with sufficient surety, or upon posting cash bail as provided in section 54-66, for the detained person's appearance before the court having cognizance of the offense, to be taken by any person designated by the Commissioner of Correction at the institution where the person is detained. The person so designated shall deliver the recognizance or cash bail to the clerk of the appropriate court before the opening of the court on the first court day thereafter. When cash bail in excess of ten thousand dollars is received for a detained person accused of a felony, where the underlying facts and circumstances of the felony involve the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person, the person so designated shall prepare a report that contains (1) the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the detained person, (2) the name, address and taxpayer identification number of each person offering the cash bail, other than a person licensed as a professional bondsman under chapter 533 or a surety bail bond agent under chapter 700f, (3) the amount of cash received, and (4) the date the cash was received. Not later than fifteen days after receipt of such cash bail, the person so designated shall file the report with the Department of Revenue Services and mail a copy of the report to the state's attorney for the judicial district in which the alleged offense was committed and to each person offering the cash bail.

      (1949 Rev., S. 8778; 1961, P.A. 517, S. 50; February, 1965, P.A. 606; 1969, P.A. 803, S. 2; P.A. 80-313, S. 17; P.A. 99-240, S. 15.)

      History: 1961 act deleted obsolete reference to county commissioners; 1965 act made section applicable to person awaiting arraignment or sentencing as well as trial, offered the alternative of posting cash bail and substituted present provisions for taking bail for prior provision of taking by the court, a judge or clerk; 1969 act replaced jail administrator with commissioner of correction, substituted references to community correctional centers for references to jails and specified applicability to persons detained "pursuant to the issuance of a bench warrant"; P.A. 80-313 made minor changes in wording; P.A. 99-240 added provisions requiring the person designated by the commissioner to prepare a report when cash bail in excess of $10,000 is received for a detained person accused of a felony involving the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person, specifying the contents of such report and requiring such designated person not later than 15 days after receipt of such cash bail to file such report with the Department of Revenue Services and mail a copy of such report to the appropriate state's attorney and each person offering the cash bail.

      Not permitted to one under sentence for prior offense. K. 260. Sheriff may take bail and release prisoner. 2 D. 11. Not the practice to issue a special order to clerk for commitment of prisoner to jail; there is a continuing order to that effect. 36 C. 251. Bail where state appeals; 65 C. 282; where accused appeals to supreme court and sentence is stayed. 71 C. 457. Liabilities on bail bond. 83 C. 688. Nature of act of taking bail; law authorizing clerk to take bail will not permit him to fix amount. 89 C. 301. Application to supreme court to admit accused to bail denied; procedure there must be to have finding of facts made by referee unless they are admitted by state's attorney. 109 C. 738. Cited. 140 C. 326. In capital cases refusal of bail must be restricted to cases where proof is evident or presumption great in accord with section 8 of Article I of state's constitution. Burden of proof that proof is evident or presumption great in capital offenses as grounds for refusing bail is on state and not met by fact of grand jury indictment. 159 C. 264.

      Only an act of God or an act of law or an act of the obligee excuses a surety whose principal does not appear before court. Sleepiness constitutes no reason for relaxation of the law. 23 CS 321.