Connecticut § 54-84a Testimony against spouse.

Connecticut Statutes

§ 54-84a — Testimony against spouse.

Connecticut § 54-84a

Title 54Criminal Procedure

Ch. 961Trial and Proceedings after Conviction

This text of Connecticut § 54-84a (Testimony against spouse.) 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. § 54-84a (2026).

Text

(a)Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, in any criminal proceeding, a person may elect or refuse to testify against his or her then lawful spouse.

(b)The testimony of a spouse may be compelled, in the same manner as for any other witness, in a criminal proceeding against the other spouse for (1) joint participation with the spouse in criminal conduct, (2) bodily injury, sexual assault or other violence attempted, committed or threatened upon the spouse, or (3) bodily injury, sexual assault, risk of injury pursuant to section 53-21 , or other violence attempted, committed or threatened upon the minor child of either spouse, or any minor child in the care or custody of either spouse.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, in any criminal proceeding, a person may elect or refuse to testify against his or her then lawful spouse. (b) The testimony of a spouse may be compelled, in the same manner as for any other witness, in a criminal proceeding against the other spouse for (1) joint participation with the spouse in criminal conduct, (2) bodily injury, sexual assault or other violence attempted, committed or threatened upon the spouse, or (3) bodily injury, sexual assault, risk of injury pursuant to section 53-21 , or other violence attempted, committed or threatened upon the minor child of either spouse, or any minor child in the care or custody of either spouse.

Legislative History

(P.A. 80-313, S. 45; P.A. 11-152, S. 14.) History: (Revisor's note: In 1993, obsolete reference to repealed Sec. 53-25 was deleted editorially by the Revisors); P.A. 11-152 replaced former provisions with Subsec. (a) authorizing person to elect or refuse to testify against then lawful spouse in any criminal proceeding and Subsec. (b) re when testimony of spouse may be compelled. Cited. 199 C. 631; 211 C. 555. Section codifies adverse spousal testimony privilege, as distinguished from marital communications privilege, and the privilege belongs to the witness spouse and is meant to protect against impact of the testimony on the marriage. 267 C. 710.