2012 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 51 - Courts
Chapter 887 - Public Defender Services
Section 51-298 - Reimbursement of commission by financially able defendants or persons. Actions by Attorney General.

(a)(1) If at any time, either during or after the disposition of his case, a defendant who is receiving or has received public defender services based on his indigency, or a person for whom counsel has been appointed pursuant to subsection (c) of section 51-296, becomes financially able to meet all or some part of the cost of the services rendered to him, he shall be required to reimburse the commission, in such amounts as he can reasonably pay, either by a single payment or by installments of reasonable amounts, in accordance with a schedule of charges for public defender services prepared by the commission. (2) Difficulty or failure in the making of payment shall not reduce or in any way affect the rendering of public defender services to the person.

(b) The commission shall have a claim against any person represented by a public defender, assistant public defender, deputy assistant public defender or Division of Public Defender Services assigned counsel pursuant to this chapter, for the reasonable value of services rendered to him, as determined in accordance with the schedule of reasonable charges for public defender services provided by the commission. The claim shall be enforceable by civil action brought in the name of the state on behalf of the commission by the Attorney General, at any time within ten years from the last date on which any services were rendered. Money so recovered shall be repaid to the commission. The Attorney General shall do all things necessary and proper to collect all money due to the commission by way of reimbursement for services rendered pursuant to this chapter. He shall have all the remedies and may take all necessary proceedings for the collection of amounts due which may be had or taken for or upon the recovery of a judgment in a civil action and may institute and maintain any action or proceeding in the courts necessary therefor. In any such proceedings or action, the defendant may contest the value of the services rendered pursuant to this chapter by any public defender, assistant public defender, deputy assistant public defender or Division of Public Defender Services assigned counsel.

(c) The Attorney General may compromise and make settlement of, or with the concurrence of the Chief Public Defender, forego any claims for services performed for any person pursuant to this chapter whenever the financial circumstances of a person are such that the best interest of the state will be served by such action.

(P.A. 74-317, S. 9, 14; P.A. 76-436, S. 581, 681; P.A. 82-248, S. 150; P.A. 11-51, S. 7.)

History: P.A. 76-436 applied provisions to deputy assistant public defenders, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 82-248 rephrased the section but made no substantive changes; P.A. 11-51 amended Subsec. (a)(1) to add provision re person for whom counsel has been appointed pursuant to Sec. 51-296(c), and amended Subsec. (b) to add references to Division of Public Defender Services assigned counsel, effective July 1, 2011.