2019 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 46b - Family Law
Chapter 815t - Juvenile Matters
Section 46b-124 - (Formerly Sec. 51-305). *(See end of section for amended version of subsection (k)(1) and effective date.) Confidentiality of records of juvenile matters. Exceptions.

(a) For the purposes of this section, “records of cases of juvenile matters” includes, but is not limited to, court records, records regarding juveniles maintained by the Court Support Services Division, records regarding juveniles maintained by an organization or agency that has contracted with the Judicial Branch to provide services to juveniles, records of law enforcement agencies including fingerprints, photographs and physical descriptions, and medical, psychological, psychiatric and social welfare studies and reports by juvenile probation officers, public or private institutions, social agencies and clinics.

(b) All records of cases of juvenile matters, as provided in section 46b-121, except delinquency proceedings, or any part thereof, and all records of appeals from probate brought to the superior court for juvenile matters pursuant to section 45a-186, shall be confidential and for the use of the court in juvenile matters, and open to inspection or disclosure to any third party, including bona fide researchers commissioned by a state agency, only upon order of the Superior Court, except that: (1) Such records shall be available to (A) the attorney representing the child or youth, including the Division of Public Defender Services, in any proceeding in which such records are relevant, (B) the parents or guardian of the child or youth until such time as the child or youth reaches the age of majority or becomes emancipated, (C) an adult adopted person in accordance with the provisions of sections 45a-736, 45a-737 and 45a-743 to 45a-757, inclusive, (D) employees of the Division of Criminal Justice who, in the performance of their duties, require access to such records, (E) employees of the Judicial Branch who, in the performance of their duties, require access to such records, (F) another court under the provisions of subsection (d) of section 46b-115j, (G) the subject of the record, upon submission of satisfactory proof of the subject’s identity, pursuant to guidelines prescribed by the Office of the Chief Court Administrator, provided the subject has reached the age of majority or has been emancipated, (H) the Department of Children and Families, (I) the employees of the Division of Public Defender Services who, in the performance of their duties related to Division of Public Defender Services assigned counsel, require access to such records, and (J) judges and employees of the Probate Court who, in the performance of their duties, require access to such records; and (2) all or part of the records concerning a youth in crisis with respect to whom a court order was issued prior to January 1, 2010, may be made available to the Department of Motor Vehicles, provided such records are relevant to such order. Any records of cases of juvenile matters, or any part thereof, provided to any persons, governmental or private agencies, or institutions pursuant to this section shall not be disclosed, directly or indirectly, to any third party not specified in subsection (d) of this section, except as provided by court order, in the report required under section 54-76d or 54-91a or as otherwise provided by law.

(c) All records of cases of juvenile matters involving delinquency proceedings, or any part thereof, shall be confidential and for the use of the court in juvenile matters and shall not be disclosed except as provided in this section and section 46b-124a.

(d) Records of cases of juvenile matters involving delinquency proceedings shall be available to (1) Judicial Branch employees who, in the performance of their duties, require access to such records, (2) judges and employees of the Probate Court who, in the performance of their duties, require access to such records, and (3) employees and authorized agents of state or federal agencies involved in (A) the delinquency proceedings, (B) the provision of services directly to the child, (C) the design and delivery of treatment programs pursuant to section 46b-121j, or (D) the delivery of court diversionary programs. Such employees and authorized agents include, but are not limited to, law enforcement officials, community-based youth service bureau officials, state and federal prosecutorial officials, school officials in accordance with section 10-233h, court officials including officials of both the regular criminal docket and the docket for juvenile matters and officials of the Division of Criminal Justice, the Division of Public Defender Services, the Department of Children and Families, the Court Support Services Division and agencies under contract with the Judicial Branch. Such records shall also be available to (i) the attorney representing the child, including the Division of Public Defender Services, in any proceeding in which such records are relevant, (ii) the parents or guardian of the child, until such time as the subject of the record reaches the age of majority, (iii) the subject of the record, upon submission of satisfactory proof of the subject’s identity, pursuant to guidelines prescribed by the Office of the Chief Court Administrator, provided the subject has reached the age of majority, (iv) law enforcement officials and prosecutorial officials conducting legitimate criminal investigations, (v) a state or federal agency providing services related to the collection of moneys due or funding to support the service needs of eligible juveniles, provided such disclosure shall be limited to that information necessary for the collection of and application for such moneys, and (vi) members and employees of the Board of Pardons and Paroles and employees of the Department of Correction who, in the performance of their duties, require access to such records, provided the subject of the record has been convicted of a crime in the regular criminal docket of the Superior Court and such records are relevant to the performance of a risk and needs assessment of such person while such person is incarcerated, the determination of such person’s suitability for release from incarceration or for a pardon, or the determination of the supervision and treatment needs of such person while on parole or other supervised release. Records disclosed pursuant to this subsection shall not be further disclosed, except that information contained in such records may be disclosed in connection with bail or sentencing reports in open court during criminal proceedings involving the subject of such information, or as otherwise provided by law.

(e) Records of cases of juvenile matters involving delinquency proceedings, or any part thereof, may be disclosed upon order of the court to any person who has a legitimate interest in the information and is identified in such order. Records disclosed pursuant to this subsection shall not be further disclosed, except as specifically authorized by a subsequent order of the court.

(f) Information concerning a child who is the subject of an order to take such child into custody or other process that has been entered into a central computer system pursuant to subsection (i) of section 46b-133 may be disclosed to employees and authorized agents of the Judicial Branch, law enforcement agencies and the Department of Children and Families in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Chief Court Administrator.

(g) Information concerning a child who has escaped from a detention center or from a facility to which the child has been committed by the court or for whom an arrest warrant has been issued with respect to the commission of a felony may be disclosed by law enforcement officials.

(h) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit any person employed by the Judicial Branch from disclosing any records, information or files in such employee’s possession to any person employed by the Division of Criminal Justice as a prosecutorial official, inspector or investigator who, in the performance of his or her duties, requests such records, information or files, or to prohibit any such employee of said division from disclosing any records, information or files in such employee’s possession to any such employee of the Judicial Branch who, in the performance of his or her duties, requests such records, information or files.

(i) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a party from making a timely objection to the admissibility of evidence consisting of records of cases of juvenile matters, or any part thereof, in any Superior Court or Probate Court proceeding, or from making a timely motion to seal any such record pursuant to the rules of the Superior Court or the rules of procedure adopted under section 45a-78.

(j) A state’s attorney shall disclose to the defendant or such defendant’s counsel in a criminal prosecution, without the necessity of a court order, exculpatory information and material contained in any record disclosed to such state’s attorney pursuant to this section and may disclose, without a court order, information and material contained in any such record which could be the subject of a disclosure order.

*(k) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (d) of this section, any information concerning a child that is obtained during any mental health screening or assessment of such child, during the provision of services pursuant to subsection (b) of section 46b-149, or during the performance of an educational evaluation pursuant to subsection (e) of section 46b-149, shall be used solely for planning and treatment purposes and shall otherwise be confidential and retained in the files of the entity providing such services or performing such screening, assessment or evaluation. Such information may be further disclosed only for the purposes of any court-ordered evaluation or treatment of the child or provision of services to the child, or pursuant to sections 17a-101 to 17a-101e, inclusive, 17b-450, 17b-451 or 51-36a. Such information shall not be subject to subpoena or other court process for use in any other proceeding or for any other purpose.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (d) of this section, any information concerning a child that is obtained during any detention risk screening of such child shall be used solely for determining the child’s risk to public safety as required by subsection (e) of section 46b-133. The information obtained and results of the detention risk screening shall be used for the purpose of making a recommendation to the court regarding the detention of the child and shall otherwise be confidential and retained in the files of the person performing such screening, but shall be disclosed to any attorney of record upon motion and order of the court. Any information and results disclosed upon such motion and order shall be available to any attorney of record for such case. Such information and results shall otherwise not be subject to subpoena or other court process for use in any other proceeding or for any other purpose.

(l) Records of cases of juvenile matters involving delinquency proceedings, or any part thereof, containing information that a child has been convicted as delinquent for a violation of subdivision (e) of section 1-1h, subsection (c) of section 14-147, subsection (a) of section 14-215, section 14-222, subsection (b) of section 14-223, subsection (a), (b) or (c) of section 14-224, section 30-88a or subsection (b) of section 30-89, shall be disclosed to the Department of Motor Vehicles for administrative use in determining whether administrative sanctions regarding such child’s motor vehicle operator’s license are warranted. Records disclosed pursuant to this subsection shall not be further disclosed.

(m) Records of cases of juvenile matters involving adoption proceedings, or any part thereof, shall be confidential and may only be disclosed pursuant to sections 45a-743 to 45a-757, inclusive.

(n) Records of cases of juvenile matters involving delinquency proceedings shall be available to a victim of the delinquent act in accordance with the provisions of section 46b-124a.

(1969, P.A. 794, S. 3; P.A. 75-602, S. 2, 13; P.A. 76-436, S. 13, 681; P.A. 77-246, S. 11; 77-486, S. 1, 2, 5; P.A. 78-280, S. 92, 127; 78-318, S. 27; P.A. 79-456; P.A. 80-165, S. 1; P.A. 81-472, S. 82, 159; P.A. 82-140, S. 1; P.A. 93-48; P.A. 94-221, S. 15; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-2, S. 10; P.A. 95-225, S. 12; 95-254, S. 3; 95-261, S. 1; P.A. 96-246, S. 35; P.A. 98-70, S. 1; P.A. 99-185, S. 35, 40; P.A. 02-132, S. 22; P.A. 03-202, S. 8; P.A. 04-234, S. 2; P.A. 05-152, S. 9; P.A. 06-187, S. 75; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4, S. 81; Jan. Sp. Sess. P.A. 08-1, S. 23; P.A. 08-86, S. 4; P.A. 10-32, S. 140; 10-43, S. 31; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 10-1, S. 29; P.A. 11-51, S. 15; 11-157, S. 14, 15; P.A. 12-82, S. 18; 12-133, S. 34; P.A. 14-104, S. 10; 14-173, S. 2; P.A. 16-147, S. 4; P.A. 17-99, S. 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2, S. 147.)

*Note: On and after July 1, 2019, subsection (k)(1) of this section, as amended by section 593 of public act 17-2 of the June special session, is to read as follows:

“(k) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (d) of this section, any information concerning a child that is obtained during any mental health screening or assessment of such child, shall be used solely for planning and treatment purposes and shall otherwise be confidential and retained in the files of the entity performing such screening or assessment. Such information may be further disclosed only for the purposes of any court-ordered evaluation or treatment of the child or provision of services to the child, or pursuant to sections 17a-101 to 17a-101e, inclusive, 17b-450, 17b-451 or 51-36a. Such information shall not be subject to subpoena or other court process for use in any other proceeding or for any other purpose.”

(1969, P.A. 794, S. 3; P.A. 75-602, S. 2, 13; P.A. 76-436, S. 13, 681; P.A. 77-246, S. 11; 77-486, S. 1, 2, 5; P.A. 78-280, S. 92, 127; 78-318, S. 27; P.A. 79-456; P.A. 80-165, S. 1; P.A. 81-472, S. 82, 159; P.A. 82-140, S. 1; P.A. 93-48; P.A. 94-221, S. 15; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-2, S. 10; P.A. 95-225, S. 12; 95-254, S. 3; 95-261, S. 1; P.A. 96-246, S. 35; P.A. 98-70, S. 1; P.A. 99-185, S. 35, 40; P.A. 02-132, S. 22; P.A. 03-202, S. 8; P.A. 04-234, S. 2; P.A. 05-152, S. 9; P.A. 06-187, S. 75; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4, S. 81; Jan. Sp. Sess. P.A. 08-1, S. 23; P.A. 08-86, S. 4; P.A. 10-32, S. 140; 10-43, S. 31; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 10-1, S. 29; P.A. 11-51, S. 15; 11-157, S. 14, 15; P.A. 12-82, S. 18; 12-133, S. 34; P.A. 14-104, S. 10; 14-173, S. 2; P.A. 16-147, S. 4; P.A. 17-99, S. 2; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2, S. 147, 593.)

History: P.A. 75-602 added reference to youths; P.A. 76-436 replaced references to juvenile court with references to superior court and juvenile matters and added Subsec. (b) re confidentiality of complaint or information transferred from circuit to juvenile court before October 1, 1971, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 77-246 required that records be available to adult adopted persons; P.A. 77-486 added provisions requiring that records be available to judges and adult probation officers for consideration in sentencing or granting youthful offender status for person under twenty-one; P.A. 78-280 added exception re Sec. 54-76d or 54-109 in provision prohibiting disclosure to third party; P.A. 78-318 authorized disclosure to another court in custody proceedings; P.A. 79-456 required superior court order for disclosure of records to “bona fide researchers commissioned by a state agency”; Sec. 17-57a temporarily renumbered as Sec. 51-305 and ultimately transferred to Sec. 46b-124 in 1979, and references to other sections within provisions revised as necessary by the Revisors to reflect their transfer; P.A. 80-165 authorized disclosure of information concerning disposition of criminal case to the victim of the crime if juvenile’s identity is not revealed; P.A. 81-472 made technical corrections; P.A. 82-140 amended Subsec. (a) to permit disclosure of identity of child or youth to victim if the victim intends to bring a civil action for damages or if the child or youth is adjudicated delinquent; P.A. 93-48 added provision in Subsec. (a) re disclosure of records concerning adjudications re child abuse to state’s attorney and added Subsec. (c) re disclosure of exculpatory information and material contained in disclosed record by state’s attorney to defendant; P.A. 94-221 added Subsecs. (a)(4) re availability of information on the identity of a child arrested for a felony and the nature of the offense and (a)(5) re availability of information on the identity of a child adjudicated a delinquent as a result of a felony; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-2 added Subsec. (a)(4) re availability to a state’s attorney of records concerning adjudications involving certain firearm-related offenses, renumbering the remaining Subdivs. accordingly, and amended Subsec. (c) to add reference to said Subdiv. (4); P.A. 95-225 substantially revised section by amending Subsec. (a) to add exception for proceedings concerning delinquent children, deleting former Subdivs. (2) to (6), inclusive, re specific exceptions to the prohibition on disclosure, deleting provision making delinquency records of any person who has not attained the age of 21 available to a judge and an adult probation officer in certain circumstances and provide that the prohibition on disclosure to a third party applies to a third party “not specified in subsection (c) of this section”, deleting former Subsec. (b) re confidentiality of records transferred from the Circuit Court to the Juvenile Court prior to October 1, 1971, adding new Subsec. (b) re confidentiality of records of cases of juvenile matters involving proceedings concerning delinquent children, adding new Subsec. (c) re disclosure of delinquency records to certain individuals and agencies, adding Subsec. (d) re disclosure of delinquency records to persons with a legitimate interest therein upon order of the court, adding Subsec. (e) re availability of delinquency records to the victim of the crime, adding Subsec. (f) re disclosure of information concerning a child who has escaped or for whom an arrest warrant has been issued, adding Subsec. (g) re exchange of information between certain employees of the Judicial Department and the Division of Criminal Justice, and redesignating former Subsec. (c) re disclosure of information by a state’s attorney to the defendant or his counsel as Subsec. (h) and amended said Subsec. to make technical changes; P.A. 95-254 amended Subsec. (a) by applying provisions to records of appeals from probate brought to Juvenile Court pursuant to Sec. 45a-186(b) and to add provision making such records available to court of probate from which such appeal was taken; P.A. 95-261 would have amended Subsec. (a) specifying Office of Adult Probation and Office of the Bail Commission as agencies which may obtain delinquency records where previous availability was limited to adult probation officers, but failed to take effect, P.A. 95-225 having repealed language on which the changes relied; P.A. 96-246 added Subsec. (a)(3) re psychological evaluations being available to Commissioner of Children and Families for purposes of diagnosing, caring for or treating child; P.A. 98-70 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting “concerning delinquent children” and adding “delinquency” and by deleting former Subdiv. (3) and adding availability of records to attorney, including public defender, for child or youth, parents or guardian, employees of Division of Criminal Justice, employees of judicial branch, another court, the subject of the record, provided subject provides proof of identity and has reached the age of majority or is emancipated, and the Department of Children and Families; amended Subsec. (b) by deleting “concerning delinquent children” and adding “delinquency”; amended Subsec. (c) by providing availability of records re delinquency proceedings to judicial branch employees, employees and certain authorized agents of state or federal agencies, including Division of Public Defender Services, Office of Adult Probation, Office of Bail Commissioner, Board of Parole and agencies under contract with Office of Alternative Sanctions, to parent or guardian, to the subject of the record upon proof of identity and reaching age of majority and to a state or federal agency providing funding to support needs of eligible juveniles, and by adding provision re disclosure in connection with bail or sentencing reports; amended Subsecs. (d) and (e) by deleting “concerning a delinquent child” and adding “delinquency”; and amended Subsec. (g) by deleting “as a juvenile prosecutor, inspector or investigator”; P.A. 99-185 amended Subsec. (a)(2) by changing reference to Sec. 46b-111 to Sec. 46b-115j(d), effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 02-132 amended Subsec. (c) by replacing “Office of Adult Probation, the Office of the Bail Commissioner” with “Court Support Services Division”, replacing “Office of Alternative Sanctions” with “Judicial Department” and making a technical change; P.A. 03-202 added new Subsec. (a) defining “records of cases of juvenile matters”, redesignated existing Subsecs. (a) to (h) as Subsecs. (b) to (i), replaced references to “Judicial Department” with references to “judicial branch” and made technical and conforming changes; P.A. 04-234 replaced Board of Parole with Board of Pardons and Paroles, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 05-152 amended Subsec. (a) by inserting “juvenile” in reference to “probation officers”, amended Subsec. (b) by making technical changes and adding Subdiv. (3) re records concerning youth in crisis made available to Department of Motor Vehicles, and added Subsec. (j) re information obtained during mental health screening or assessment of a child; P.A. 06-187 amended Subsec. (b)(2) by adding Subpara. (I) permitting records of cases of juvenile matters to be made available to employees of Commission on Child Protection in performance of duties requiring access to such records; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4 amended Subsec. (b)(3) to insert “was issued prior to January 1, 2010,” and delete reference to Sec. 46b-150f(c)(1), effective January 1, 2010; Jan. Sp. Sess. P.A. 08-1 amended Subsec. (d) to delete officials of Board of Pardons and Paroles from list of employees and authorized agents to whom records are available and add clause (vi) re availability of records to members and employees of Board of Pardons and Paroles and employees of Department of Correction, effective January 25, 2008; P.A. 08-86 amended Subsec. (j) to add provisions re information obtained during the provision of services pursuant to Sec. 46b-149(b) or performance of an educational evaluation pursuant to Sec. 46b-149(e); P.A. 10-32 made a technical change in Subsec. (b), effective May 10, 2010; P.A. 10-43 amended Subsec. (d) to delete advocate appointed pursuant to Sec. 54-221 for victim of a crime committed by the child from list of employees and authorized agents to whom records are available and make technical changes; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 10-1 added Subsec. (k) re disclosure of delinquency conviction for violation of enumerated sections to Department of Motor Vehicles for administrative use re child’s license, effective July 1, 2010; P.A. 11-51 amended Subsec. (b)(2)(I) to substitute “Division of Public Defender Services” for “Commission on Child Protection” and add “related to Division of Public Defender Services assigned counsel” re duties, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-157 amended Subsecs. (e) and (f) to add “except as specifically authorized by a subsequent order of the court”, and amended Subsec. (k) to add reference to Sec. 14-224(a); P.A. 12-82 added Subsec. (l) re confidentiality of records of cases of juvenile matters involving adoption proceedings; P.A. 12-133 amended Subsec. (d) to add Subdiv. (2)(D) re availability of records to persons involved in delivery of court diversionary programs and add “community-based youth service bureau officials” as persons to whom records are made available; P.A. 14-104 amended Subsec. (b) to delete former Subdiv. (1) re records of matter transferred from court of probate or appeal from probate, redesignate existing Subdivs. (2) and (3) as Subdivs. (1) and (2), add Subdiv. (1)(J) re judges and employees of Probate Court who require access to records in performance of their duties, and add provision re disclosure of records as otherwise provided by law, amended Subsec. (d) to add new Subdiv. (2) re judges and employees of Probate Court who require access to records in performance of their duties, redesignate existing Subdiv. (2) as Subdiv. (3), and add provision re records disclosed may be further disclosed as otherwise provided by law, added new Subsec. (i) re nothing in section to be construed to prohibit timely objection to admissibility of evidence or timely motion to seal record, redesignated existing Subsecs. (i) to (l) as Subsecs. (j) to (m), and made technical changes throughout; P.A. 14-173 amended Subsec. (b) to delete former Subdiv. (1) re records of matter transferred from court of probate or appeal from probate, redesignate existing Subdivs. (2) and (3) as Subdivs. (1) and (2), add Subdiv. (1)(J) re judges and employees of Probate Court who require access to records in performance of their duties, and add provision re disclosure of records as otherwise provided by law, amended Subsec. (d) to add new Subdiv. (2) re judges and employees of Probate Court who require access to records in performance of their duties, redesignate existing Subdiv. (2) as Subdiv. (3), and add provision re records disclosed may be further disclosed as otherwise provided by law, added new Subsec. (g) re information concerning child who is the subject of an order to take into custody or other process entered into central computer system, redesignated existing Subsecs. (g) and (h) as Subsecs. (h) and (i), added new Subsec. (j) re nothing in section to be construed to prohibit timely objection to admissibility of evidence or timely motion to seal record, redesignated existing Subsecs. (i) to (l) as Subsecs. (k) to (n), and made technical changes throughout; P.A. 16-147 amended Subsec. (l) to add provisions re detention screening, effective January 1, 2017; P.A. 17-99 amended Subsec. (c) by adding reference to Sec. 46b-124a, deleted former Subsec. (f) re availability of records of cases of juvenile matters to victim of crime committed by child, redesignated existing Subsecs. (g) to (n) as Subsecs. (f) to (m) and added new Subsec. (n) re availability of records of cases of juvenile matters involving delinquency proceedings to victim of delinquent act; P.A. 17-99 amended Subsec. (c) by adding reference to Sec. 46b-124a, deleted former Subsec. (f) re availability of records of cases of juvenile matters to victim of crime committed by child, redesignated existing Subsecs. (g) to (n) as Subsecs. (f) to (m) and added new Subsec. (n) re availability of records of cases of juvenile matters involving delinquency proceedings to victim of delinquent act; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 17-2 amended Subsec. (k) by deleting reference to detention screening, designating existing provisions re information obtained during screening or assessment as Subdiv. (1) and by adding Subdiv. (2) re information obtained during detention risk screening, effective October 31, 2017, and deleted provision re provision of services pursuant to Sec. 46b-149(b) or performance of evaluation pursuant to Sec. 46b-149(e) in Subsec. (k)(1), effective July 1, 2019.