Connecticut General Statutes 14-140 – Release on own recognizance. Report of failure to appear or to pay fine or fee, surcharge or cost. Reciprocal agreements. Opening of judgment
(a) Any person who has been arrested by an officer for a violation of any provision of any statute relating to motor vehicles may be released, upon his own recognizance, by such officer in his discretion, unless such violation is of a provision relating to driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs or using a motor vehicle without permission of the owner or evading responsibility for personal injury or property damage or involves the death or serious injury of another, in which cases such person shall not be released on his own recognizance.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 14-140
- another: may extend and be applied to communities, companies, corporations, public or private, limited liability companies, societies and associations. See Connecticut General Statutes 1-1
- Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
- Commissioner: includes the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and any assistant to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles who is designated and authorized by, and who is acting for, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles under a designation. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Motor vehicle: means any vehicle propelled or drawn by any nonmuscular power, except aircraft, motor boats, road rollers, baggage trucks used about railroad stations or other mass transit facilities, electric battery-operated wheel chairs when operated by persons with physical disabilities at speeds not exceeding fifteen miles per hour, golf carts operated on highways solely for the purpose of crossing from one part of the golf course to another, golf-cart-type vehicles operated on roads or highways on the grounds of state institutions by state employees, agricultural tractors, farm implements, such vehicles as run only on rails or tracks, self-propelled snow plows, snow blowers and lawn mowers, when used for the purposes for which they were designed and operated at speeds not exceeding four miles per hour, whether or not the operator rides on or walks behind such equipment, motor-driven cycles, as defined in section 14-286, special mobile equipment, as defined in section 14-165, mini-motorcycles, as defined in section 14-289j, electric bicycles, electric foot scooters and any other vehicle not suitable for operation on a highway. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Nonresident: means any person whose legal residence is in a state other than Connecticut or in a foreign country. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Officer: includes any constable, state marshal, inspector of motor vehicles, state policeman or other official authorized to make arrests or to serve process, provided the officer is in uniform or displays the officer's badge of office in a conspicuous place when making an arrest. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Operator: means any person who operates a motor vehicle or who steers or directs the course of a motor vehicle being towed by another motor vehicle and includes a driver. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Owner: means any person holding title to a motor vehicle, or having the legal right to register the same, including purchasers under conditional bills of sale. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Person: includes any individual, corporation, limited liability company, association, copartnership, company, firm, business trust or other aggregation of individuals but does not include the state or any political subdivision thereof, unless the context clearly states or requires. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
- Registration: includes the certificate of motor vehicle registration and the number plate or plates used in connection with such registration. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- State: means any state of the United States and the District of Columbia unless the context indicates a more specific reference to the state of Connecticut. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
- Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
- Vehicle: includes any device suitable for the conveyance, drawing or other transportation of persons or property, whether operated on wheels, runners, a cushion of air or by any other means. See Connecticut General Statutes 14-1
(b) If any person so arrested or summoned wilfully fails to appear for any scheduled court appearance at the time and place assigned, or if any person charged with an infraction involving the use of a motor vehicle, or with a motor vehicle violation specified in section 51-164n, fails to pay the fine and any additional fee imposed or send in his plea of not guilty by the answer date or wilfully fails to appear for any scheduled court appearance which may be required, or if any person fails to pay any surcharge imposed under section 13b-70, any fee imposed under section 51-56a or any cost imposed under section 54-143 or 54-143a, a report of such failure shall be sent to the commissioner by the court having jurisdiction. The provisions of this section shall be extended to any nonresident owner or operator of a motor vehicle residing in any state, the proper authorities of which agree with the commissioner to revoke, until personal appearance to answer the charge against him, his motor vehicle registration certificate or operator’s license, upon his failure to appear for any scheduled court appearance. Any infractions or violations, for which a report of failure to appear has been sent to the commissioner under this subsection, that have not otherwise been disposed of shall be dismissed by operation of law seven years after such report was sent.
(c) The commissioner may enter into reciprocal agreements with the proper authorities of other states, which agreements may include provisions for the suspension or revocation of licenses and registrations of residents and nonresidents who fail to appear for trial at the time and place assigned.
(d) Any judgment under this section shall be opened upon the payment to the clerk of the Superior Court of a fee of forty dollars. Such filing fee may be waived by the court.
(e) In addition, the provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall apply to sections 29-322, 29-349 and 29-351.