Connecticut General Statutes 51-181c – Community court
(a) The Chief Court Administrator shall designate one court location in which a community court is to be established where there shall be a docket separate from other criminal matters for the hearing of (1) criminal matters which are misdemeanor cases, (2) misdemeanor cases transferred by the housing session of the Superior Court, and (3) violations of municipal ordinances referred by municipalities, in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Chief Court Administrator.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 51-181c
- Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
- 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.
- Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
- Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(b) The community court may accept transfers and referrals of cases pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of this section. The community court may order any person to participate in a community service program, (1) if the person has not previously been placed in such program, the court may suspend prosecution and place such person in such program or, upon a plea of guilty without trial, suspend any sentence of imprisonment and make participation in such program a condition of probation or conditional discharge in accordance with section 53a-30, or (2) if such person has previously been placed in such program, the court may, upon a plea of guilty without trial, suspend any sentence of imprisonment and make participation in such program a condition of probation or conditional discharge in accordance with said section 53a-30.
(c) Any person for whom prosecution is suspended and who is placed in the community service program pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection (a) of this section shall agree to the tolling of the statute of limitations with respect to such crime and to a waiver of such person’s right to a speedy trial. If the program monitor certifies to the court that such person successfully completed the community service program, the court shall make a finding of such satisfactory completion and dismiss the charges. If the program monitor certifies to the court that such person did not successfully complete the community service program to which such person was assigned or is no longer amenable to participating in such program, the court shall enter a plea of not guilty for such person and transfer the case to the regular criminal docket and immediately place the case on the trial list, except that cases accepted from the housing session pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of this section shall be returned to the housing session.
(d) The community court may accept transfers and referrals of violations of municipal ordinances under subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of this section whether or not any such person has been found guilty of such violation prior to such referral to community court. The community court may order any such person to participate in a community service program up to a maximum of twenty hours in lieu of, or in addition to, a fine for such violation. If the program monitor certifies to the court that such person successfully completed the community service program, the court shall make a finding of such satisfactory completion and dismiss the charges.