2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 51 - Courts
Chapter 871 - Courts
Section 51-33 - Punishment for contempt of court.

Any court, including a family support magistrate, may punish by fine and imprisonment any person who in its presence behaves contemptuously or in a disorderly manner; but no court or family support magistrate may impose a greater fine than one hundred dollars or a longer term of imprisonment than six months or both.

(1949 Rev., S. 7702; 1959, P.A. 28, S. 82; P.A. 82-248, S. 16; P.A. 89-360, S. 19, 45.)

History: 1959 act deleted provision that justice of the peace is not to inflict fine of more than $7 or term of imprisonment greater than 30 days; P.A. 82-248 changed “shall inflict” to “may impose” and added “or both” after “months”; P.A. 89-360 added references to family support magistrates.

Court is authorized to impose sentence of six months’ imprisonment for criminal contempt where defendant’s use of profanity in open court disrupts court proceedings, reflects disobedience to court’s order to be silent and imposes an indignity on authority of the court. 88 CA 599.

Contempt in constructive presence of court discussed. 36 CS 547. Until trial court’s summary adjudication of contempt is challenged by writ of error, a presumption of finality is accorded to trial judge’s exercise of discretion in dealing with contemptuous conduct in his presence. Id., 550.