Facing a criminal charge in Connecticut

Bond and pretrial release in Connecticut

Article I Section 8 of the Connecticut Constitution provides a right to bail in non-capital cases. Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 54-63b through 54-69 govern pretrial release. Sec. 54-64a directs courts to impose the least restrictive condition that will reasonably assure appearance, and lists release on written promise, non-financial conditions, unsecured bond, cash bond, and surety bond. The court must consider community ties, financial resources, prior record, and the nature of the charge under Sec. 54-64a. Public Act 17-145 (2017) further restricted use of cash bond for most misdemeanors; the statute generally bars cash-only bond for misdemeanor offenses unless the defendant poses a documented risk. Bail commissioners conduct pretrial interviews and make release recommendations under Sec. 54-63b.

Bond amounts, conditions, and timelines vary by county and judge. Confirm with counsel or the court.

Criminal defense attorneys serving Connecticut

Our directory is still building in Connecticut. Public-defender intake is available now.

Record clearing in Connecticut

Connecticut erasure of criminal records is governed by Conn. Gen. Stat. 54-142a (erasure) and the Clean Slate Act (Public Act 21-32, codified at 54-142e). The Clean Slate Act provides automatic erasure of eligible misdemeanor and certain felony convictions after a waiting period. The statute provides an erasure waiting period of seven years from the date of the most recent conviction for misdemeanors and ten years for eligible class D and E felonies; class A, B, and C felonies, family-violence offenses, and sex offenses requiring registration are excluded. Eligible records are erased automatically by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection after the waiting period.

Eligibility, waiting periods, and the petition vs. automatic pathway depend on the conviction class and the date of the offense. Confirm with counsel or the court record.

Public defender intake in Connecticut

Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services serves STATEWIDE County. Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. We do not refer you to a specific public defender and we do not represent you.

Public defenders are appointed by the court based on financial eligibility. LawSensai does not refer you to a public defender and does not represent you. This packet is a courtesy summary you can share with your public defender or their intake staff. You remain responsible for applying to the court for appointed counsel.