2013 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 53a - Penal Code
Chapter 952 - Penal Code: Offenses
Section 53a-35 - Imprisonment for any felony committed prior to July 1, 1981: Indeterminate sentences; maximum and minimum terms.

(a) For any felony committed prior to July 1, 1981, the sentence of imprisonment shall be an indeterminate sentence, except as provided in subsection (d). When such a sentence is imposed the court shall impose a maximum term in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) and the minimum term shall be as provided in subsection (c) or (d).

(b) The maximum term of an indeterminate sentence shall be fixed by the court and specified in the sentence as follows: (1) For a class A felony, life imprisonment; (2) for a class B felony, a term not to exceed twenty years; (3) for a class C felony, a term not to exceed ten years; (4) for a class D felony, a term not to exceed five years; (5) for an unclassified felony, a term in accordance with the sentence specified in the section of the general statutes that defines the crime; and (6) for a capital felony, life imprisonment unless a sentence of death is imposed in accordance with section 53a-46a.

(c) Except as provided in subsection (d) the minimum term of an indeterminate sentence shall be fixed by the court and specified in the sentence as follows: (1) For a class A felony, the minimum term shall not be less than ten nor more than twenty-five years; (2) for a class B, C or D felony the court may fix a minimum term of not less than one year nor more than one-half of the maximum term imposed, except that (A) where the maximum is less than three years the minimum term may be more than one-half the maximum term imposed or (B) when a person is found guilty under section 53a-59(a)(1), section 53a-59a, 53a-101(a)(1) or 53a-134(a)(2), the minimum term shall be not less than five years and such sentence shall not be suspended or reduced, or when a person is found guilty under section 53a-60c, the minimum term shall be not less than three years and such sentence shall not be suspended or reduced, or when a person is found guilty under section 53a-60b, the minimum term shall be not less than two years and such sentence shall not be suspended or reduced; (3) for an unclassified felony, a term in accordance with the sentence specified in the section of the general statutes that defines the crime.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (c), except as provided in subdivision (2) of said subsection (c), when a person is sentenced for a class C or D felony or for an unclassified felony, the maximum sentence for which does not exceed ten years, the court may impose a definite sentence of imprisonment and fix a term of one year or less; except when a person is found guilty under sections 53a-55a, 53a-56a, 53a-60a, 53a-70a, 53a-72b, 53a-92a, 53a-94a, 53a-102a and 53a-103a, the court shall not fix a term of less than one year.

(1969, P.A. 828, S. 35; 1971, P.A. 871, S. 13; P.A. 73-137, S. 8; P.A. 74-186, S. 9, 12; P.A. 75-380, S. 14; 75-411, S. 3; P.A. 76-435, S. 2, 82; P.A. 77-422, S. 5; P.A. 80-442, S. 9, 28; P.A. 83-587, S. 76, 96.)

History: 1971 act amended Subsec. (a) to add reference to minimum sentence terms in Subsec. (d), required that sentence be specified in the sentence in Subsec. (b), amended Subsec. (c) to add exception re Subsec. (d), to raise minimum term for Class A felony from 1 to 10 years and maximum term from 10 to 25 years, to clarify exception re maximum term of 3 years by specifying minimum terms and to add Subdiv. (3) re unclassified felonies and amended Subsec. (d) to add exception re Subsec. (c)(2) and to include applicability re unclassified felonies; P.A. 73-137 removed reference to death sentence imposed for class A felony in accordance with Sec. 53a-46 in Subsec. (b)(1) and added Subdiv. (6) re capital felonies; P.A. 74-186 removed reference to guilt under Subdivs. (2) or (4) of Sec. 53a-60(a) in Subsec. (c)(2)(B); P.A. 75-380 added exception in Subsec. (d) re required 1-year term; P.A. 75-411 deleted reference to guilt under Sec. 53a-135(a)(2) in Subsec. (c)(2)(B); P.A. 76-435 added exception in Subsec. (d) as amended by P.A. 75-380; P.A. 77-422 expanded exception in Subsec. (c)(2)(B) re required 3-year and 2-year minimum terms and added reference to guilt under Sec. 53-59a; P.A. 80-442 amended Subsec. (a) to limit applicability to felonies committed prior to July 1, 1981, effective on that date; P.A. 83-587 substituted “53a-59a” for “53-59a” in Subsec. (c).

Cited. 1 CA 724; 9 CA 686; 12 CA 403; 19 CA 440; Id., 571; Id., 631; 24 CA 612; 37 CA 228. Section does not apply to crimes committed before October 1, 1971. 133 CA 458.

Courts may impose a definite sentence for a felony of one year or less. 31 CS 350. Cited. 33 CS 705.

Subsec. (a):

Cited. 171 C. 278; 189 C. 114; 196 C. 655.

Subsec. (b):

Subdiv. (2) cited. 189 C. 114. Cited. 193 C. 144. Subdiv. (1) cited. 195 C. 326. Subdiv. (2) cited. Id. Subdiv. (4) cited. 199 C. 121; 231 C. 545. Subdiv. (3) cited. Id., 545. Subdiv. (1): Sec. 53a-35b does not apply to indeterminate life sentences imposed pursuant to Subdiv., regardless of when the sentence was imposed, but applies solely to definite life sentences imposed pursuant to Sec. 53a-35a. 300 C. 649.

Cited. 46 CA 450.

Subsec. (c):

Subdiv. (2)(B): Rational relationship exists between the protection of public health and safety and the imposition of nonsuspendable sentence for violent crime of second degree robbery, an essential element of which is threatened use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument. 171 C. 677. Subdiv. (2) cited. 189 C. 114. Cited. 193 C. 144. Subdiv. (1) cited. 195 C. 326. Subdiv. (2) cited. Id.; 197 C. 413; Id., 485; 199 C. 121; 202 C. 343. Subdiv. (1) cited. 211 C. 591.

Subdiv. (2) cited. 12 CA 403. Subdiv. (3) cited. Id.