Connecticut § 46b-138a Testimony of accused juvenile, parent or guardian in juvenile proceeding.

Connecticut Statutes

§ 46b-138a — Testimony of accused juvenile, parent or guardian in juvenile proceeding.

Connecticut § 46b-138a

Title 46bFamily Law

Ch. 815tJuvenile Matters

This text of Connecticut § 46b-138a (Testimony of accused juvenile, parent or guardian in juvenile proceeding.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 46b-138a (2026).

Text

In any juvenile proceeding in the Superior Court, the accused child shall be a competent witness, and at his or her option may testify or refuse to testify in such proceedings. The parent or guardian of such child shall be a competent witness but may elect or refuse to testify for or against the accused child except that a parent or guardian who has received personal violence from the child may, upon the child's trial for offenses arising from such personal violence, be compelled to testify in the same manner as any other witness. No unfavorable inferences shall be drawn by the court from the accused child's silence.

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In any juvenile proceeding in the Superior Court, the accused child shall be a competent witness, and at his or her option may testify or refuse to testify in such proceedings. The parent or guardian of such child shall be a competent witness but may elect or refuse to testify for or against the accused child except that a parent or guardian who has received personal violence from the child may, upon the child's trial for offenses arising from such personal violence, be compelled to testify in the same manner as any other witness. No unfavorable inferences shall be drawn by the court from the accused child's silence.

Legislative History

(P.A. 79-263.) Section explicitly provides that an accused child, as well as his parent or guardian, may refuse to testify in a delinquency proceeding, and that no adverse inference may be drawn against the accused child. 268 C. 614.