§ 54-56e — (Formerly Sec. 54-76p). Accelerated pretrial rehabilitation.

Connecticut § 54-56e

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 54: Criminal Procedure
• Ch. 960: Information, Procedure and Bail

Text

(a) There shall be a pretrial program for accelerated rehabilitation of persons accused of a crime or crimes or a motor vehicle violation or violations for which a sentence to a term of imprisonment may be imposed, which crimes or violations are not of a serious nature. Upon application by any such person for participation in the program, the court shall, but only as to the public, order the court file sealed. (b) The court may, in its discretion, invoke such program on motion of the defendant or on motion of a state's attorney or prosecuting attorney with respect to a defendant (1) who, the court believes, will probably not offend in the future, (2) who has no previous record of conviction of a crime or of a violation of section 14-196 , subsection (c) of section 14-215 , section 14-222a , subsection (a) or subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of section 14-224 , section 14-227a or 14-227m , subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of section 14-227n or section 15-132a , 15-133 or 15-140n , and (3) who states under oath, in open court or before any person designated by the clerk and duly authorized to administer oaths, under the penalties of perjury, (A) that the defendant has never had such program invoked on the defendant's behalf or that the defendant was charged with a misdemeanor or a motor vehicle violation for which a term of imprisonment of one year or less may be imposed and ten or more years have passed since the date that any charge or charges for which the program was invoked on the defendant's behalf were dismissed by the court, or (B) with respect to a defendant who is a veteran, that the defendant has not had such program invoked in the defendant's behalf more than once previously, provided the defendant shall agree thereto and provided notice has been given by the defendant, on a form prescribed by the Office of the Chief Court Administrator, to the victim or victims of such crime or motor vehicle violation, if any, by registered or certified mail and such victim or victims have an opportunity to be heard thereon. Any defendant who applies for participation in such program shall pay to the court an application fee of thirty-five dollars, except as provided in subsection (g) of this section. No defendant shall be allowed to participate in the pretrial program for accelerated rehabilitation more than two times. For the purposes of this section, “veteran” has the same meaning as provided in section 27-103 . (c) This section shall not be applicable: (1) To any person charged with (A) a class A felony, (B) a class B felony, except a violation of subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of section 53a-122 that does not involve the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person, or a violation of subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 53a-122 that does not involve the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person and does not involve a violation by a person who is a public official, as defined in section 1-110 , or a state or municipal employee, as defined in section 1-110 , or (C) a violation of section 53a-70b of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to January 1, 2019, or section 14-227a or 14-227m , subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of section 14-227n , subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 53-21 or section 53a-56b , 53a-60d , 53a-70 , 53a-70a , 53a-71 , except as provided in subdivision (5) of this subsection, 53a-72a , 53a-72b , 53a-90a , 53a-196e or 53a-196f , (2) to any person charged with a crime or motor vehicle violation who, as a result of the commission of such crime or motor vehicle violation, causes the death of another person, (3) to any person accused of a family violence crime as defined in section 46b-38a who (A) is eligible for the pretrial family violence education program established under section 46b-38c , or (B) has previously had the pretrial family violence education program invoked in such person's behalf, (4) to any person charged with a violation of section 21a-267 , 21a-279 or 21a-279a , who (A) is eligible for the pretrial drug education and community service program established under section 54-56i or the pretrial drug intervention and community service program established under section 54-56q , or (B) has previously had (i) the pretrial drug education program, (ii) the pretrial drug education and community service program established under the provisions of section 54-56i , or (iii) the pretrial drug intervention and community service program established under section 54-56q , invoked on such person's behalf, (5) unless good cause is shown, to (A) any person charged with a class C felony, or (B) any person charged with committing a violation of subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 53a-71 while such person was less than four years older than the other person, (6) to any person charged with a violation of section 9-359 or 9-359a , (7) to any person charged with a motor vehicle violation (A) while operating a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in section 14-1 , or (B) who holds a commercial driver's license or commercial learner's permit at the time of the violation, (8) to any person charged with a violation of subdivision (6) of subsection (a) of section 53a-60 , (9) to a health care provider or vendor participating in the state's Medicaid program charged with a violation of section 53a-122 or subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 53a-123 , or (10) to any person charged with a violation of section 15-132a , 15-133 or 15-140n . (d) Except as provided in subsection (g) of this section, any defendant who enters such program shall pay to the court a participation fee of one hundred dollars. Any defendant who enters such program shall agree to the tolling of any statute of limitations with respect to such crime and to a waiver of the right to a speedy trial. Any such defendant shall appear in court and shall, under such conditions as the court shall order, be released to the supervision of the Court Support Services Division, except that, if a criminal docket for drug-dependent persons has been established pursuant to section 51-181b in the judicial district, such defendant may be transferred, under such conditions as the court shall order, to the court handling such docket for supervision by such court. If the defendant refuses to accept, or, having accepted, violates such conditions, the defendant's case shall be brought to trial. The period of such probation or supervision, or both, shall not exceed two years. If the defendant has reached the age of sixteen years but has not reached the age of eighteen years, the court may order that as a condition of such probation the defendant be referred for services to a youth service bureau established pursuant to section 10-19m , provided the court finds, through an assessment by a youth service bureau or its designee, that the defendant is in need of and likely to benefit from such services. When determining any conditions of probation to order for a person entering such program who was charged with a misdemeanor that did not involve the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person or a motor vehicle violation, the court shall consider ordering the person to perform community service in the community in which the offense or violation occurred. If the court determines that community service is appropriate, such community service may be implemented by a community court established in accordance with section 51-181c if the offense or violation occurred within the jurisdiction of a community court established by said section. If the defendant is charged with a violation of section 46a-58 , 53-37a , 53a-181j , 53a-181k or 53a-181 l , the court may order that as a condition of such probation the defendant participate in a hate crimes diversion program as provided in subsection (e) of this section. If a defendant is charged with a violation of section 53-247 , the court may order that as a condition of such probation the defendant undergo psychiatric or psychological counseling or participate in an animal cruelty prevention and education program provided such a program exists and is available to the defendant. (e) If the court orders the defendant to participate in a hate crimes diversion program as a condition of probation, the defendant shall pay to the court a participation fee of four hundred twenty-five dollars, except as provided in subsection (g) of this section. The Judicial Department shall contract with service providers, develop standards and oversee appropriate hate crimes diversion programs to meet the requirements of this section. Any defendant whose employment or residence makes it unreasonable to attend a hate crimes diversion program in this state may attend a program in another state which has standards substantially similar to, or higher than, those of this state, subject to the approval of the court and payment of the application and program fees as provided in this section. The hate crimes diversion program shall consist of an educational program and supervised community service. (f) If a defendant released to the supervision of the Court Support Services Division satisfactorily completes such defendant's period of probation, such defendant may apply for dismissal of the charges against such defendant and the court, on finding such satisfactory completion, shall dismiss such charges. If the defendant does not apply for dismissal of the charges against such defendant after satisfactorily completing such defendant's period of probation, the court, upon receipt of a report submitted by the Court Support Services Division that the defendant satisfactorily completed such defendant's period of probation, may on its own motion make a finding of such satisfactory completion and dismiss such charges. If a defendant transferred to the court handling the criminal docket for drug-dependent persons satisfactorily completes such defendant's period of supervision, the court shall release the defendant to the supervision of the Court Support Services Division under such conditions as the court shall order or shall dismiss such charges. Upon dismissal, all records of such charges shall be erased pursuant to section 54-142a . An order of the court denying a motion to dismiss the charges against a defendant who has completed such defendant's period of probation or supervision or terminating the participation of a defendant in such program shall be a final judgment for purposes of appeal. (g) The court shall waive any application or participation fee under this section for any person who (1) files with the court an affidavit of indigency or inability to pay, assisted by the Court Support Services Division, to the extent requested by such person, and the court enters a finding of inability to pay, or (2) has been determined indigent and eligible for representation by a public defender who has been appointed on behalf of such person pursuant to section 51-296 . The court shall not require a person to perform community service in lieu of payment of such fee, if such fee is waived.

Legislative History

(P.A. 73-641, S. 1, 2; P.A. 74-38; P.A. 76-53; 76-179; P.A. 79-581, S. 11; 79-585, S. 10, 15; P.A. 81-446, S. 4; P.A. 82-9; P.A. 83-534, S. 7; P.A. 85-350, S. 2; 85-374; P.A. 87-343, S. 3, 4; P.A. 87-567, S. 5, 7; P.A. 88-145; P.A. 89-219, S. 7, 10; P.A. 91-24, S. 6; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6, S. 116, 117; P.A. 93-138; P.A. 95-142, S. 4; 95-154; 95-225, S. 31; P.A. 97-248, S. 10, 12; P.A. 98-81, S. 16, 20; 98-208, S. 1, 2; P.A. 99-148, S. 3, 4; 99-187, S. 5; P.A. 00-72, S. 4, 12; 00-196, S. 39; 00-209, S. 5; P.A. 01-16; 01-84, S. 19, 26; P.A. 02-132, S. 34; P.A. 03-208, S. 2; P.A. 04-139, S. 9; P.A. 05-235, S. 5; P.A. 07-217, S. 192; P.A. 10-43, S. 22; P.A. 11-158, S. 1; P.A. 12-42, S. 2; P.A. 13-159, S. 3; 13-271, S. 43; P.A. 14-56, S. 3; 14-130, S. 34; 14-220, S. 2; 14-233, S. 7; P.A. 15-85, S. 19; 15-211, S. 10; P.A. 16-126, S. 32; 16-193, S. 29; P.A. 19-189, S. 25; P.A. 21-79, S. 42; 21-102, S. 12; June Sp. Sess P.A. 21-1, S. 161; P.A. 22-26, S. 27; 22-37, S. 32; 22-40, S. 13; 22-115, S. 15; P.A. 24-20, S. 25.) History: P.A. 74-38 transferred power to invoke accelerated rehabilitation program from state's attorney or prosecuting attorney to the court and replaced provision which made section inapplicable to persons accused of class A, B or C felony with provision specifying that section is inapplicable in such cases “unless good cause is shown”; P.A. 76-53 clarified provision requiring that crime victims be given opportunity to express their views by specifying notice procedure; P.A. 76-179 required that candidate for rehabilitation state under oath that he has not previously had the program invoked on his behalf; P.A. 79-581 rendered provisions inapplicable to youths previously adjudged youthful offenders; P.A. 79-585 substituted office of adult probation for commission on adult probation; Sec. 54-76p transferred to Sec. 54-56e in 1981; P.A. 81-446 excluded persons charged with a violation of Sec. 14-227a from the provisions of this section; P.A. 82-9 substituted “in the future” for “again” and added provision re erasure of records pursuant to Sec. 54-142a upon dismissal; P.A. 83-534 excluded persons charged with a violation of Sec. 53a-56b or 53a-60d from the provisions of this section; P.A. 85-350 added provision that if the defendant does not apply for dismissal of the charges against him after satisfactory completion of the program the court may on its own motion make a finding of satisfactory completion and dismiss the charges; P.A. 85-374 added provision that certain court orders are final judgments for purposes of appeal; P.A. 87-343 made persons accused of a motor vehicle violation for which a sentence to a term of imprisonment may be imposed eligible for the program; P.A. 87-567 specified that section will not apply to persons accused of a family violence crime who are eligible for pretrial family education program established under Sec. 46b-38c or who have previously had pretrial family violence education program invoked in their behalf; P.A. 88-145 precluded from the program an accused who has a previous record of conviction of “a violation of section 14-196, subsection (c) of section 14-215, section 14-222a, subsection (a) of section 14-224 or section 14-227a”, and made a technical change to conform with the changes made by P.A. 87-343 by requiring the accused to give notice to the victim or victims of such crime “or motor vehicle violation”; P.A. 89-219 established an application fee of $25 and a participation fee of $100; P.A. 91-24 added provision permitting the defendant to make a sworn statement “before any person designated by the clerk and duly authorized to administer oaths”; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-6 increased application fee from $25 to $35; P.A. 93-138 made persons accused of more than one crime or motor vehicle violation eligible for the program; P.A. 95-142 made ineligible for the program any person charged with a violation of Sec. 53-21(2), 53a-70, 53a-70a, 53a-70b, 53a-71, 53a-72a or 53a-72b; P.A. 95-154 made ineligible for the program any person charged with a class A or B felony and any person who has previously been adjudged a youthful offender for the commission of a class B felony, however provision re youthful offenders failed to take effect because of irreconcilable conflict with P.A. 95-225, the provisions of that act having taken precedence; P.A. 95-225 made ineligible for the program any person who has previously been adjudged a youthful offender where formerly a “youth” who has previously been adjudged a youthful offender was ineligible unless good cause was shown, and added provision authorizing the court to order certain defendants be referred for services to a youth service bureau as a condition of probation if the court finds that they are in need of and likely to benefit from such services; P.A. 97-248 authorized the transfer of a defendant to the court handling the criminal docket for drug-dependent persons if such a docket has been established in the judicial district, specified that the period of probation or supervision or both not exceed two years and provided that if a defendant transferred to the court handling the criminal docket for drug-dependent persons satisfactorily completes his period of supervision the court shall release the defendant to the Office of Adult Probation or dismiss the charges, effective July 1, 1997; P.A. 98-81 after “who has not been adjudged a youthful offender” added “on or after October 1, 1995”, effective May 22, 1998; P.A. 98-208 inserted Subsec., Subdiv. and Subpara. indicators and added Subsec. (c)(2) making provisions inapplicable to any person charged with a crime or motor vehicle violation who, as a result of the commission of such crime or motor vehicle violation, causes the death of another person, effective July 1, 1998; P.A. 99-148 added Subsec. (c)(4) making provisions inapplicable to any person charged with a violation of Sec. 21a-267 or 21a-279 who is eligible for the pretrial drug education program under Sec. 54-56i or has previously had such program invoked in such person's behalf and made provisions of section gender neutral, effective July 1, 1999; P.A. 99-187 amended Subsec. (d) to add provision authorizing the court to order as a condition of probation that the defendant participate in the zero-tolerance drug supervision program established pursuant to Sec. 53a-39d and to make technical changes for purposes of gender neutrality; P.A. 00-72 amended Subsec. (d) to add exception re amount of the participation fee and add provision authorizing the court to order participation in a hate crimes diversion program as a condition of probation for defendants charged with a violation of Sec. 46a-58, 53-37a, 53a-181j, 53a-181k or 53a-181 l , added new Subsec. (e) re hate crimes diversion program and redesignated former Subsec. (e) as Subsec. (f), effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 00-196 amended Subsec. (d) to add provisions requiring the court to consider ordering a person charged with a misdemeanor that did not involve the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person or a motor vehicle violation to perform community service as a condition of probation and authorizing such community service to be implemented by a community court if the offense or violation occurred within the jurisdiction of a community court, which provisions were formerly incorporated in Sec. 53a-28(e) and were deleted therefrom by same public act; P.A. 00-209 amended Subsec. (b)(3) to replace condition that defendant “has not previously been adjudged a youthful offender on or after October 1, 1995,” with condition that defendant “has not been adjudged a youthful offender within the preceding five years”, and to add provision that in determining whether to grant an application for a person who has been adjudged a youthful offender more than five years prior to the date of the application, the court shall have access to the youthful offender records of such person and may consider the crime such person was charged with as a youth; P.A. 01-16 amended Subsec. (c)(1) to add exception re eligibility of any person charged with a violation of Sec. 53a-122 that does not involve the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person and to make a technical change; P.A. 01-84 amended Subsec. (c)(1) to replace reference to “subdivision (2) of section 53-21” with “subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 53-21”, effective July 1, 2001; P.A. 02-132 replaced “Office of Adult Probation” with “Court Support Services Division” in Subsecs. (d), (e) and (f) and replaced “Office of Adult Probation” with “Judicial Department” re authority for contracting with service providers in Subsec. (e); P.A. 03-208 amended Subsec. (d) to add provision authorizing the court to order counseling or participation in an animal cruelty prevention and education program for a defendant charged with a violation of Sec. 53-247; P.A. 04-139 amended Subsec. (c)(1) to make section inapplicable to a person charged with a violation of Sec. 53a-90a, 53a-196e or 53a-196f; P.A. 05-235 added Subsec. (c)(6) making section inapplicable to any person charged with a violation of Sec. 9-359 or 9-359a, effective July 1, 2005, and applicable to elections, primaries and referenda held on or after September 1, 2005; P.A. 07-217 made a technical change in Subsec. (d), effective July 12, 2007; P.A. 10-43 amended Subsec. (d) to delete provision authorizing court to order as condition of probation that defendant participate in zero-tolerance drug supervision program; P.A. 11-158 amended Subsec. (b) to delete Subdiv. (3) re condition that person not have been adjudged youthful offender within preceding 5 years, redesignate existing Subdiv. (4) as Subdiv. (3) and delete provision re court access to youthful offender records of person adjudged youthful offender more than 5 years prior to the application and consideration of crime such person was charged with as a youth; P.A. 12-42 amended Subsec. (b) to add provisions re defendant who is a veteran and re definition of “veteran”; P.A. 13-159 amended Subsec. (c) to add “except as provided in subdivision (5) of this subsection” in Subdiv. (1), substitute “pretrial drug education and community service program” for “pretrial drug education program” and make a conforming change in Subdiv. (4), and add Subpara. (A) designator re person charged with a class C felony and add Subpara. (B) re person charged under Sec. 53a-71(a)(1) for violation committed while less than 4 years older than the other person in Subdiv. (5); P.A. 13-271 amended Subsec. (c) to add Subdiv. (7) re person charged with motor vehicle violation while operating a commercial motor vehicle or who holds commercial driver's license or commercial driver's instruction permit at time of violation, effective January 1, 2014; P.A. 14-56 amended Subsec. (b) to redefine “veteran”, effective May 23, 2014; P.A. 14-130 amended Subsec. (b)(2) to add reference to Sec. 14-224(b)(1); P.A. 14-220 amended Subsec. (c) to add Subdiv. (8) re person charged with violation of Sec. 53a-60(a)(6); P.A. 14-233 amended Subsec. (a) to add provision re court to order file sealed as to public upon application for participation in program, amended Subsec. (b) to add Subpara. (A) and (B) designators and provision re defendant charged with misdemeanor or motor vehicle violation when 10 years have passed since program was previously invoked and related charges were dismissed in Subdiv. (3), and to add provision re no defendant may participate in program more than 2 times, amended Subsec. (c) to add reference to violation of Sec. 53a-122(a)(1), (2) or (3) and add provision re public official or state or municipal employee charged with violation of Sec. 53a-122(a)(4), and made technical changes; P.A. 15-85 amended Subsec. (b) by substituting “form prescribed by the Office of the Chief Court Administrator” for “form approved by rule of court”; P.A. 15-211 amended Subsec. (c) by adding Subpara. designators (A) to (C) in Subdiv. (1) and adding Subdiv. (9) re health care provider or vendor participating in the Medicaid program charged with a violation of Sec. 53a-122 or 53a-123(a)(4); P.A. 16-126 amended Subsecs. (b)(2) and (c)(1) by adding references to Secs. 14-227m and 14-227n(a)(1) and (2); P.A. 16-193 made technical changes in Subsec. (c)(8) and (9); P.A. 19-189 amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “53a-70b,” with “section 53a-70b of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to January 1, 2019, or”; P.A. 21-79 amended Subsec. (b) by redefining “veteran”; P.A. 21-102 added Subsec. (g) re fee waivers and made conforming changes in Subsecs. (b), (d) and (e); June Sp. Sess. P.A. 21-1 amended Subsec. (c)(4) by adding reference to Sec. 21a-279a and to Sec. 54-56i, adding references to pretrial drug intervention and community service program under Sec. 54-56q, and making technical changes, effective July 1, 2021; P.A. 22-26 amended Subsec. (c)(4)(B)(i) by making a technical change, amended Subsecs. (d) and (f) by replacing “custody” with “supervision” and amended Subsec. (g)(1) by deleting reference to “has such indigency confirmed”, adding reference re court finding “of inability to pay” and adding reference re Court Support Services Division assisting person “to the extent requested by such person”, effective July 1, 2022; P.A. 22-37 made a technical change in Subsec. (c)(4)(B); P.A. 22-40 amended Subsec. (b) to add reference to Sec. 15-132a, 15-133 or 15-140n in Subdiv. (2), amended Subsec. (c) to add Subdiv. (10) re person charged with violation of Sec. 15-132a, 15-133 or 15-140n and made technical changes, effective July 1, 2022; P.A. 22-115 amended Subsec. (c) to delete existing reference to Sec. 53a-122(a)(3) and replace existing reference to Sec. 53a-122(a)(4) with Sec. 53a-122(a)(3) and existing reference to Sec. 53a-123(a)(4) with Sec. 53a-123(a)(3); P.A. 24-20 amended Subsec. (c) by replacing reference to commercial driver's instruction permit with reference to commercial learner's permit and making a technical change. Annotations to former section 54-76p: Cited. 36 CS 527. Found error in denial of application for accelerated rehabilitation; detailed discussion in dissent. 37 CS 767. Annotations to present section: Claim to a dismissal of charges based on successful completion of conditions imposed under statute is interlocutory and review of claim not deemed proper as an exception to the ground rule requiring final judgment; exceptions discussed. 194 C. 650. Cited. 206 C. 512; 219 C. 752; 222 C. 331. Arbitrator improperly relied on employee's admission into accelerated rehabilitation program as evidence of cause for employee's discharge from employment despite clear and significant public policy that acceptance of accelerated rehabilitation is not evidence of guilt, that it cannot be used as evidence of guilt, and that it has no probative value on the issues of guilt or innocence of the charged offenses. 298 C. 824. Under 2014 Supplement, because the purpose of accelerated rehabilitation is to grant onetime offenders an opportunity to maintain a clean criminal record, a conviction obtained while participating in the program violates the purpose of section and requires a finding of unsatisfactory completion. 313 C. 590. Denial of application for accelerated rehabilitation is not appealable following plea of nolo contendere. 2 CA 219. “Crime” means a single criminal act or transaction out of which one or more criminal charges might arise; determinative criterion governing statute is whether charges arise out of same act or transaction. 6 CA 505. Cited. 8 CA 273; 9 CA 631; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 352; Id., 686; 23 CA 559. Defendant charged with more than one single criminal act or transaction is ineligible for accelerated rehabilitation. 25 CA 235. Cited. 27 CA 635. Section is mandatory in nature; failure to complete satisfactorily the period of pretrial probation requires that case be returned to docket for trial. 45 CA 722. Court's appraisal of sufficiency of required apology to victim upheld, where defendant initiated other litigation that may have been impacted by wording of apology. 108 CA 605. Mere arrest of defendant, without more, was not sufficient ground to terminate defendant's accelerated rehabilitation. 110 CA 814. Mere arrest of defendant, without more, is an insufficient ground for revoking his eligibility for dismissal of charges pursuant to accelerated rehabilitation program. 37 CS 853. Cited. Id., 864. Denial of application for accelerated rehabilitation not a final judgment from which right of appeal lies. 38 CS 552. Cited. Id., 689; 41 CS 454. Subsec. (a): After defendant's completion of program, court must act affirmatively by making a finding of satisfactory completion in order to dismiss charges against defendant and state's failure to terminate his status in the program during period of probation does not require court to dismiss the underlying charge. 98 CA 111. Legislature's use of both the singular “crime” and the plural “crimes” reflects the legislature's intent that statute may be invoked with respect to defendant accused of either one crime or multiple crimes, regardless of whether those crimes are temporally or otherwise related. 110 CA 442.