§ 51-278 — (Formerly Sec. 51-175). Appointment, salaries and removal of prosecutorial officials.

Connecticut § 51-278

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 51: Courts
• Ch. 886: Division of Criminal Justice

Text

(a)(1) On or before August 1, 1985, the Criminal Justice Commission shall appoint an administrative head of the Division of Criminal Justice whose title shall be Chief State's Attorney. On or before July 1, 1986, and every five years thereafter, the Criminal Justice Commission shall appoint an administrative head of the Division of Criminal Justice whose title shall be Chief State's Attorney. The appointment of a Chief State's Attorney by the Criminal Justice Commission shall be by an affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the commission. (2) The term of office of the Chief State's Attorney shall be five years from July first in the year of appointment and until the appointment and qualification of a successor unless he is sooner removed by the Criminal Justice Commission, except that the term of office of the Chief State's Attorney appointed by the Criminal Justice Commission on or before August 1, 1985, shall expire June 30, 1986. (3) Any vacancy in the position of the Chief State's Attorney arising from any cause shall be filled by appointment by the Criminal Justice Commission for the balance of the vacated term. (4) The Chief State's Attorney and the deputy chief state's attorneys shall receive annual salaries as follows: (A) On or after July 1, 1984, and before July 1, 1985, the Chief State's Attorney, fifty-three thousand nine hundred thirty dollars; a deputy chief state's attorney, fifty-two thousand eight hundred ten dollars; (B) on or after July 1, 1985, the Chief State's Attorney, fifty-seven thousand two hundred dollars; a deputy chief state's attorney, fifty-six thousand dollars. (5) For purposes of this subsection, “Criminal Justice Commission” means the members of the commission other than the Chief State's Attorney. (b) (1) (A) The Criminal Justice Commission shall appoint (i) two deputy chief state's attorneys as assistant administrative heads of the Division of Criminal Justice, one of whom shall be deputy chief state's attorney for operations and one of whom shall be deputy chief state's attorney for personnel, finance and administration, who shall assist the Chief State's Attorney in his duties, and (ii) one deputy chief state's attorney who shall be appointed by the commission, as provided in subdivision (8) of this subsection, to serve as Inspector General in accordance with section 51-277e , who shall receive his or her prosecutorial powers as a designee of the Chief State's Attorney. The term of office of a deputy chief state's attorney shall be four years from July first in the year of appointment and until the appointment and qualification of a successor unless sooner removed by the Criminal Justice Commission. The Criminal Justice Commission shall designate one deputy chief state's attorney appointed under subparagraph (A)(i) of this subsection who shall, in the absence or disqualification of the Chief State's Attorney, exercise the powers and duties of the Chief State's Attorney until such Chief State's Attorney resumes his duties. For the purposes of this subparagraph, the Criminal Justice Commission means the members of the commission other than the Chief State's Attorney. (B) The Criminal Justice Commission shall appoint a state's attorney for each judicial district, who shall act therein as attorney on behalf of the state. The Criminal Justice Commission shall also appoint, from candidates recommended by the appropriate state's attorney and deemed qualified by the commission, as many assistant state's attorneys and deputy assistant state's attorneys on a full-time or part-time basis for each judicial district as the criminal business of the court, in the opinion of the Chief State's Attorney, may require, and the commission shall also appoint, from candidates recommended by the Chief State's Attorney and deemed qualified by the commission, as many assistant state's attorneys and deputy assistant state's attorneys as are necessary, in the opinion of the Chief State's Attorney, to assist the Chief State's Attorney. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of section 51-278a , the commission may, within available appropriations, interview and appoint to the position of apprentice prosecutor any student of an accredited law school who is within five months of graduation from such law school and who is a certified legal intern pursuant to the rules of the Superior Court. Any person so appointed shall advance to the position of deputy assistant state's attorney upon such person gaining admission to the Connecticut bar within one year of the date of such person's graduation from such law school. Assistant state's attorneys and deputy assistant state's attorneys, respectively, shall assist the state's attorneys for the judicial districts and the Chief State's Attorney in all criminal matters and, in the absence from the district or disability of the state's attorney or at his request, shall have and exercise all the powers and perform all the duties of state's attorney. At least three such assistant state's attorneys or deputy assistant state's attorneys shall be designated by the Chief State's Attorney to handle all prosecutions in the state of housing matters deemed to be criminal. Any assistant or deputy assistant state's attorney so designated should have a commitment to the maintenance of decent, safe and sanitary housing and, to the extent practicable, shall handle housing matters on a full-time basis. At least one assistant state's attorney shall be designated by the Chief State's Attorney to handle all prosecutions in the state of environmental matters deemed to be criminal. Any assistant state's attorney so designated should have a commitment to protecting the environment and, to the extent practicable, shall handle environmental matters on a full-time basis. (C) The Chief State's Attorney may promote any assistant state's attorney, or deputy assistant state's attorney who assists him, and the appropriate state's attorney may promote any assistant state's attorney or deputy assistant state's attorney who assists such state's attorney in the judicial district. The Chief State's Attorney shall notify the Criminal Justice Commission of any such promotion. (2) On and after July 1, 1985, the Chief State's Attorney, deputy chief state's attorneys, state's attorneys, assistant state's attorneys and deputy assistant state's attorneys shall receive salaries in accordance with a compensation plan approved by the Department of Administrative Services. (3) Each state's attorney who, on June 30, 1973, was included in the provisions of sections 51-49 , 51-287 and 51-288 may elect to continue to be so included and, each state's attorney, incumbent on July 1, 1978, who was an assistant state's attorney, chief prosecuting attorney or deputy chief prosecuting attorney on June 30, 1973, may elect to be included in sections 51-49 , 51-287 and 51-288 , and, in each such case, the Comptroller shall deduct from his salary five per cent thereof as contributions for the purposes of sections 51-49 , 51-287 and 51-288 , provided any person who has so elected may thereafter elect to participate in chapter 66 and thereupon his past contributions to the State's Attorneys' Retirement Fund shall be transferred to the State Employees Retirement Fund and he shall be credited with all prior service. All other persons appointed under the provisions of this section shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 66. (4) Each Chief State's Attorney, deputy chief state's attorney or state's attorney who (A) is ineligible to elect under subdivision (3) of this subsection, (B) is not subject to the provisions of chapter 66, and (C) had vested under the State Employees Retirement Fund, prior to his appointment to such office, shall vest under the State's Attorneys' Retirement Fund upon reappointment to any such office by the Criminal Justice Commission. (5) The several state's attorneys shall each hold office for eight years from July first and until the appointment and qualification of a successor unless sooner removed for just cause by the Criminal Justice Commission. (6) When any vacancy in the office of the Chief State's Attorney or the office of a state's attorney is to be filled, the commission shall make its appointment from the various recommendations of the Chief State's Attorney or the appropriate state's attorney. The commission shall determine how many recommendations it shall require for each appointment. (7) Each deputy chief state's attorney and state's attorney incumbent on the date of certification by the Secretary of the State of the constitutional amendment concerning appointment of state's attorneys, shall serve the term for which he had been appointed prior to said date. (8) When any appointment of a deputy chief state's attorney to serve as Inspector General in accordance with section 51-277e is to be made, the commission shall make such appointment by majority vote. In the event that there is a tie vote for such appointment, the chairperson of the commission shall select the nominee from amongst the candidates in the tie position and said candidate shall be appointed to serve as Inspector General.

Legislative History

(1949 Rev., S. 7664; June, 1955, S. 3118d; 1963, P.A. 378; February, 1965, P.A. 464; 1967, P.A. 622, S. 1; 1972, P.A. 165, S. 5; 281, S. 20; June, 1972, P.A. 1, S. 20; P.A. 73-122, S. 4, 27; P.A. 74-183, S. 49, 291; P.A. 76-436, S. 565, 681; P.A. 77-292, S. 1, 3; 77-576, S. 22, 49, 65; P.A. 78-365, S. 10, 13; 78-377, S. 2, 4; 78-379, S. 8, 9, 27; P.A. 79-9; 79-608, S. 2, 3, 10; P.A. 80-337, S. 8, 9, 13; P.A. 81-419, S. 8; 81-472, S. 90, 159; P.A. 82-248, S. 135; 82-461, S. 6; P.A. 83-295, S. 7; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-25, S. 5, 9; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-29, S. 79, 82; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-35, S. 6, 7, 9; P.A. 84-379, S. 1–3; 84-406, S. 4, 13; 84-445; 84-546, S. 164, 165, 173; P.A. 85-440, S. 1, 6, 7; 85-613, S. 142, 154; P.A. 89-345, S. 2; P.A. 90-110, S. 1, 3; P.A. 98-197, S. 6, 8; P.A. 05-288, S. 174; P.A. 10-32, S. 147; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 20-1, S. 46; P.A. 21-8, S. 2; P.A. 23-55, S. 1.) History: 1963 act increased number of assistant state's attorneys in Fairfield county from one to two; 1965 act increased number of assistant state's attorneys at New Haven from one to not more than four and in Hartford and Fairfield counties from two to not more than four and authorized appointment of assistant state's attorney at New London; 1967 act removed limits on number of assistant state's attorneys to be appointed, authorizing as many as courts' criminal business may require, added provisions re engaging in private practice, salaries and re partners', associates' and clerks' practice of law before court where attorney or clerk is engaged, and authorized chief court administrator rather than “presiding judge” of supreme court to make interim appointments; 1972 acts clarified applicability of provisions to judicial district of Waterbury, effective September 5, 1972, clarified applicability of provisions re part-time and full-time assistant state's attorneys and raised salary of state's attorneys from $24,000 to $26,500; P.A. 73-122 added provisions re chief state's attorney and deputy chief state's attorney, raised salary for state's attorneys to $31,000, raised deduction from salary from $5,000 to $10,000 where state's attorney elects to serve part-time, added provisions clarifying membership in state's attorneys' retirement fund or state employees retirement fund, increased term of office from two to four years for state's attorneys and assistant state's attorneys, transferred power to remove the various state's attorneys from office from chief justice of supreme court or chief court administrator to the judges of superior court and added provision that all categories of state's attorneys require officeholder to have been admitted to practice of law for at least three years; P.A. 74-183 replaced circuit court with court of common pleas, reflecting transfer of circuit court functions to common pleas court, effective December 31, 1974; Sec. 51-175 transferred to Sec. 51-278 in 1975; P.A. 76-436 divided section into Subsecs., reorganized and restated provisions, adding new provision designated as Subsec. (d) re deputy assistant state's attorneys and new provisions designated as Subsec. (i) re transfer of attorneys serving in common pleas courts to superior courts, reflecting transfer of all trial jurisdiction to superior court, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-292 referred to actions taken by executive committee of superior court judges; P.A. 77-576 substituted references to judicial districts for references to counties where necessary, raised chief state's attorney's salary from $33,000 to $37,000, deputy chief state's attorneys' salary from $32,000 to $36,000 and state's attorneys' salaries from $31,000 to $35,000, added reclassification provision re full-time assistant states' attorneys, changed salary group for deputy assistant state's attorneys from 28 to 26 and added reclassification provision, added provision in Subsec. (e) re election to be included in Secs. 51-49, 51-287 and 51-288 and added Subsec. (j) protecting salary levels of those currently serving, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 78-365 added provision in Subsec. (d) re appointment of attorney to handle prosecutions of housing matters deemed to be criminal; P.A. 78-377 clarified effective date of P.A. 77-576 and P.A. 78-379; P.A. 78-379 substantially reorganized provisions and referred to authorized committee of judges rather than to executive committee of judges; P.A. 79-9 rephrased Subsec. (h) to remove requirement that assistant state's attorneys have been admitted to practice law for three years; P.A. 79-608 raised salary of chief state's attorney to $39,220, of deputy chief state's attorney to $38,160 and of state's attorneys to $37,100, effective January 1, 1980; P.A. 80-337 amended Subsec. (a) to add additional deputy chief state's attorney, to distinguish duties held by each and to add provision re salary increases to January 1, 1983, and amended Subsec. (c) to provide for salary increases to January 1, 1983; P.A. 81-419 amended Subsec. (b) to provide for the designation of a deputy assistant state's attorney to handle prosecutions of housing matters deemed to be criminal in the judicial district of New Haven; P.A. 81-472 made technical changes; P.A. 82-248 rephrased and reorganized section, deleted provisions requiring prosecutorial officials to serve full-time and prohibiting them from engaging in the private practice of law and reenacted such provisions in new Sec. 51-278a, deleted provisions concerning the qualifications for prosecutorial officials and reenacted such provisions in new Sec. 51-278a, deleted provisions concerning accounting for moneys received and reenacted such provisions in new Sec. 51-278b, deleted provisions concerning the continuation in service of prosecuting attorneys in the court of common pleas, and added provisions concerning expenses, formerly Sec. 51-178; P.A. 82-461 amended Subsec. (b) by providing for the designation of a deputy assistant state's attorney to prosecute housing matters in the Fairfield judicial district, and by providing that the deputy assistant state's attorneys designated for the New Haven and Fairfield judicial districts prosecute housing matters deemed to be criminal in the Waterbury and Stamford-Norwalk judicial districts, respectively; P.A. 83-295 amended Subsec. (b)(1) by providing that “assistant state's attorneys” may also handle prosecutions of housing matters deemed to be criminal; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-25 amended Subsec. (b)(1) to provide that two assistant state's attorneys or deputy assistant state's attorneys shall prosecute criminal housing matters in the New Haven judicial district, one at New Haven and one at Meriden, and to specify that the assistant or deputy assistant state's attorney for the judicial district of New Haven “at New Haven” shall prosecute criminal housing matters in the judicial district of Waterbury; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-29 increased salary of chief state's attorney to $50,880 and increased salary of deputy chief state's attorney to $49,820 in Subsec. (a)(5); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-35 amended Subsec. (a)(5) by raising salary of chief state's attorney to $50,880 and salary of a deputy chief state's attorney to $49,820, effective July 1, 1983, and raising salary of chief state's attorney to $54,000, effective July 1, 1984, and $57,200, effective July 1, 1985, and amended Subsec. (b)(2) by raising salary of a state's attorney to $48,760, effective July 1, 1983; P.A. 84-379 amended Subsec. (a)(5) to increase salary of chief state's attorney to $53,930 on or after July 1, 1984, and $57,200 on or after July 1, 1985, and of deputy chief state's attorney to $51,810 on or after July 1, 1984, and $56,000 on or after July 1, 1985, and amended Subsec. (b)(2) by increasing salary of each state's attorney to $51,685 on or after July 1, 1984, and $54,700 on or after July 1, 1985; P.A. 84-406, effective November 28, 1984, upon certification of the secretary of the state of the vote on constitutional amendment concerning appointment of state's attorneys, revised section, increasing term of office of chief state's attorney from four to five years, providing for appointment of two deputy chief state's attorneys, state's attorneys, assistant state's attorneys, and deputy assistant state's attorneys by the criminal justice commission, changing references to “judges” to “chief state's attorney” or “appropriate state's attorney”, providing that on and after July 1, 1985, salaries shall be determined in accordance with compensation plan approved by the department of administrative services, deleting provision re reimbursement of expenses of state's attorneys, providing for removal from office of state's attorneys for just cause and filling of vacancy by criminal justice commission and providing that each deputy chief state's attorney and state's attorney incumbent on the effective date of this act, i.e. November 28, 1984, shall serve for term for which he had been appointed; P.A. 84-445 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing provisions re the designation of assistant state's attorneys or deputy assistant state's attorneys to handle prosecutions of housing matters deemed to be criminal in certain judicial districts with provisions that the chief state's attorney shall designate at least three assistant state's attorneys or deputy assistant state's attorneys to handle such prosecutions in the state and that such attorneys should have a commitment to decent, safe and sanitary housing and, to the extent practicable, shall handle housing matters on a full-time basis; P.A. 84-546 made technical changes in Subsec. (a)(4) and Subsec. (b)(2); P.A. 85-440 amended Subsec. (a) by removing the appointment of the chief state's attorney from the chief justice's powers and making the criminal justice commission the appointing authority, and providing that the term of office of the chief state's attorney appointed on or before July 1, 1985, shall be one year and amended Subsec. (b) by providing that the two deputy chief state's attorneys are assistant administrative heads of the division, designating one as deputy chief state's attorney for operations and one as deputy chief state's attorney for personnel, finance and administration and providing for appointment and removal by the criminal justice commission; P.A. 85-613 amended Subsec. (a), changing date for appointment of chief state's attorney from July 1, 1985, to August 1, 1985, and adding provision that the term of office of chief state's attorney appointed on or before August 1, 1985, shall expire June 30, 1986; P.A. 89-345 amended Subsec. (b)(1)(B) by providing that commission shall appoint candidates recommended by appropriate state's attorney in each judicial district and that commission shall appoint candidates recommended by chief state's attorney to assist the chief state's attorney, added Subsec. (b)(1)(C) re promotion of assistant or deputy assistant state's attorney who assists chief state's attorney or any state's attorney, deleted obsolete salary provision in Subsec. (b)(2) and deleted provision re filling vacancy in Subsec. (b)(5); P.A. 90-110 amended Subsec. (b)(1)(B) to require at least one assistant state's attorney to be designated to handle prosecution of environmental matters deemed criminal; P.A. 98-197 added Subsec. (b)(4) re vesting for retirement purposes of each chief state's attorney, deputy chief state's attorney or state's attorney upon reappointment to any such office by the Criminal Justice Commission, renumbering former Subdivs. (4) to (6), inclusive, as (5) to (7), inclusive, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 05-288 made a technical change in Subsec. (b)(4), effective July 13, 2005; P.A. 10-32 made a technical change in Subsec. (b)(1)(B), effective May 10, 2010; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 20-1 amended Subsec. (b)(1)(A) by designating existing language re appointment of two deputy chief state's attorneys for operations and personnel as Subpara. (A)(i), adding Subpara. (A)(ii) re deputy chief state's attorney who shall be nominated to serve as Inspector General and adding reference to Subpara. (A)(i), effective July 31, 2020; P.A. 21-8 amended Subsec. (b) by replacing “nominated” with “appointed”, adding reference to Subdiv. (8) and adding provision re Inspector General's prosecutorial powers in Subdiv. (1)(A)(ii), adding provision re notification of a promotion in Subdiv. (1)(C), adding provision re number of recommendations required per appointment in Subdiv. (6) and adding Subdiv. (8) re appointment of Inspector General, effective May 6, 2021; P.A. 23-55 amended Subsec. (b)(1)(B) by adding provision re appointment of student as apprentice prosecutor, effective June 26, 2023. Annotations to former section 51-175: Terms of bond construed. 16 C. 528. Powers of state's attorney; may issue original information in Superior Court. 64 C. 212. Function of state's attorney in disbarment proceedings. 88 C. 448. Presumption that mandamus signed by assistant state's attorney was signed by him in accordance with the scope of his authority. 99 C. 219. State's attorney for judicial district of Waterbury holds a distinct office. 127 C. 576. Statements made by suspect during conference with state's attorney held not to be privileged. 147 C. 589. The state's attorney is an officer charged with important duties which are entirely consistent with the constitutional power of the judiciary and the appointment of the state's attorney by judges of the Superior Court. 164 C. 560. Assistant state's attorney has authority, pursuant to this section in conjunction with Sec. 54-47a, to make applications for immunity grants. 174 C. 16. Cited. 234 C. 539. Duties of state's attorney discussed. 21 CS 246. Appointment of court personnel by judges of courts is constitutional. 28 CS 354. Defendants' contention that appointment of state's attorneys by judges of Superior Court is unconstitutional violation of separation of powers is without merit. Id., 366. Annotations to present section: Cited. 187 C. 6; 199 C. 667; 216 C. 523; 234 C. 539.