2005 Connecticut Code - Sec. 54-66. Acceptance and disposition of bail. Pledge of real property as lien. Forfeiture of bond for failure to appear. Issuance of rearrest warrant or capias. Termination or reinstatement of bond.
Sec. 54-66. Acceptance and disposition of bail. Pledge of real property as lien.
Forfeiture of bond for failure to appear. Issuance of rearrest warrant or capias.
Termination or reinstatement of bond. (a) In any criminal case in which a bond is
allowable or required and the amount thereof has been determined, the accused person,
or any person in the accused person's behalf, (1) may deposit, with the clerk of the court
having jurisdiction of the offense with which the accused stands charged or any assistant
clerk of such court who is bonded in the same manner as the clerk or any person or
officer authorized to accept bail, a sum of money equal to the amount called for by such
bond, or (2) may pledge real property, the equity of which is equal to the amount called
for by such bond, provided the person pledging such property is the owner of such
property, and such accused person shall thereupon be admitted to bail. When cash bail
is offered, such bond shall be executed and the money shall be received in lieu of a
surety or sureties upon such bond. Such cash bail shall be retained by the clerk of such
court until a final order of the court disposing of the same is passed; provided, if such
bond is forfeited, the clerk of such court shall pay the money to the payee named therein,
according to the terms and conditions of the bond. When cash bail in excess of ten
thousand dollars is received for a person accused of a felony, where the underlying facts
and circumstances of the felony involve the use, attempted use or threatened use of
physical force against another person, the clerk of such court shall prepare a report that
contains (A) the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the accused person,
(B) the name, address and taxpayer identification number of each person offering the
cash bail, other than a person licensed as a professional bondsman under chapter 533
or a surety bail bond agent under chapter 700f, (C) the amount of cash received, and
(D) the date the cash was received. Not later than fifteen days after receipt of such cash
bail, the clerk of such court shall file the report with the Department of Revenue Services
and mail a copy of the report to the state's attorney for the judicial district in which the
court is located and to each person offering the cash bail.
(c) Whenever an accused person is released upon the deposit by a person on behalf of the accused person of a sum of money equal to the amount called for by such bond or upon the pledge by a person on behalf of the accused person of real property, the equity of which is equal to the amount called for by such bond, and such bond is ordered forfeited because the accused person failed to appear in court as conditioned in such bond, the court shall, at the time of ordering the bond forfeited: (1) Issue a rearrest warrant or a capias directing a proper officer to take the accused person into custody, (2) provide written notice to the person who offered cash bail or pledged real property on behalf of the accused person that the accused person has failed to appear in court as conditioned in such bond, and (3) order a stay of execution upon the forfeiture for six months. When the accused person whose bond has been forfeited is returned to custody pursuant to the rearrest warrant or a capias within six months of the date such bond was ordered forfeited, the bond shall be automatically terminated and the person who offered cash bail or pledged real property on behalf of the accused person shall be released from such obligation and the court shall order new conditions of release for the accused person in accordance with section 54-64a. When the accused person whose bond has been forfeited returns to court voluntarily within five business days of the date such bond was ordered forfeited, the court may, in its discretion, and after finding that the accused person's failure to appear was not wilful, vacate the forfeiture order and reinstate the bond. Such stay of execution shall not prevent the issuance of a rearrest warrant or a capias.
(1949 Rev., S. 8781; 1959, P.A. 28, S. 152; P.A. 81-246; P.A. 93-265, S. 1; P.A. 99-240, S. 14; P.A. 01-186, S. 18.)
History: 1959 act deleted references to trial justices and included assistant court clerk; P.A. 81-246 permitted the accused person to pledge real property in order to be admitted to bail; P.A. 93-265 added Subsec. (b) to provide that the pledge of real property constitutes a lien on the property when a notice of lien is filed and to specify the procedure for the foreclosure or release of such lien; P.A. 99-240 amended Subsec. (a) to add provisions requiring the clerk of the court to prepare a report when cash bail in excess of ten thousand dollars is received for a person accused of a felony involving the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another person, specifying the contents of such report and requiring said clerk not later than fifteen days after receipt of such cash bail to file such report with the Department of Revenue Services and mail a copy of such report to the state's attorney and each person offering the cash bail; P.A. 01-186 added Subsec. (c) re forfeiture of bond for failure to appear, issuance of rearrest warrant or capias, stay of execution upon forfeiture of bond for six months from date bond ordered forfeited, automatic termination of bond if accused is returned to custody as result of rearrest warrant or capias and reinstatement of bond if accused returns to court voluntarily within five business days of order of forfeiture.
Cash bail remains in custody of court until order for return is made, even though accused has appeared and been discharged; garnishment of such a fund. 96 C. 358. Cited. 119 C. 25.
Cited. 25 CA 643, 645. This section and Sec. 54-65a do not expressly provide for, or preclude, granting of rebate to a depositor of cash bail when defendant has been returned to the jurisdiction more than six months after the bond is called, but it is within the power of Connecticut courts to ensure defendant's appearance and thus trial court's award of such a rebate was proper. 68 CA 849.
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