Title 51 — Title 51: Courts

Sec. 51-217. Qualification of jurors. (a) All jurors shall be electors, individuals lawfully admitted for permanent residence, as defined in 8 USC 1101(a)(20), as amended from time to time, or citizens of the United States, who are residents of this state having a permanent place…

Sec. 51-217a. Jurors excused from service. Option to be considered for service. (a) A person shall be excused from jury service during the jury year commencing September 1, 1999, and each jury year thereafter, if during the next three preceding jury years such person appeared in …

Sec. 51-217b. Information for prospective jurors. Postponement of jury service or accommodations for breastfeeding women. (a) The Judicial Branch shall maintain on its Internet web site a section providing prospective jurors with general information regarding jury service, includ…

Secs. 51-218 and 51-219. Jury service for women. Exemption from jury service. Sections 51-218 and 51-219 are repealed. (1949 Rev., S. 7907, 7927; P.A. 73-47; P.A. 75-264, S. 1, 2; P.A. 76-52, S. 4, 8; P.A. 78-197; P.A. 79-386; P.A. 82-248, S. 121; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 83-5, S. 17,…

Sec. 51-219a. Duties and powers of Jury Administrator. (a) The Jury Administrator, who is appointed in accordance with section 51-10 and subject to supervision by the Chief Court Administrator, shall be responsible for qualifying, summoning, selecting, managing and utilizing juro…

Sec. 51-219b. How to determine number of jurors to be summoned. (a) In determining the number of jurors to be summoned for jury duty at a court location, the following factors, as well as any other factors which may be relevant, shall be considered: The number of judges assigned …

Sec. 51-219c. Adjustment in number of jurors. If it is determined that any estimate by the chief clerks under subsection (c) of section 51-219b, is in excess of or lacking in the number of jurors chosen under section 51-220 for those towns within a given judicial district, the Ju…

Sec. 51-220. Number of jurors for each town. (a) Prior to January 1, 2024, the number of jurors to be chosen from each town shall be equal to a percentage of the town's population rounded off to the nearest whole number, such percentage to be determined by the Jury Administrator …

Sec. 51-220a. Use of electronic processing in selection, drawing and summoning of jurors. Annual compilation of data. (a) Electronic data processing and similar equipment may be used in the selection, drawing and summoning of jurors under this chapter. At the Jury Administrator's…

Secs. 51-221 and 51-222. Jury committees; selection of jurors. Towns failing to file lists of jurors. Sections 51-221 and 51-222 are repealed, effective October 1, 1997. (1949 Rev., S. 7909, 7910; 1951, S. 3161d; February, 1965, P.A. 620, S. 1; P.A. 76-52, S. 6, 8; P.A. 76-436, S…

Sec. 51-222a. Preparation of master or final list. (a) Annually, upon the request of the Jury Administrator, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall supply the Jury Administrator with the latest updated file of licensed motor vehicle operators for the state and with the latest u…

Sec. 51-223. State Jury Commission. Inquiry blanks. Jury lists. Section 51-223 is repealed. (1949 Rev., S. 7912; 1949, 1951, S. 3164d; 1959, P.A. 28, S. 206; February, 1965, P.A. 620, S. 2; 1967, P.A. 718, S. 1; P.A. 74-183, S. 53, 291; P.A. 76-52, S. 7, 8; P.A. 76-436, S. 103, 6…

Sec. 51-224. Incomplete list. Preparation of subsequent list. If a registrar of voters of a town, after a request from the Jury Administrator pursuant to section 51-222a, fails to provide the list to the Jury Administrator or to the Jury Administrator's representative, the Jury A…

Secs. 51-225 to 51-228. Compensation of members of State Jury Commission. Designation of clerks. Preparation of slips with jurors' names and placement in jury boxes. Summoning of jurors for court in Tolland County from Manchester and in Middlesex County from Wallingford and Merid…

Sec. 51-229. Additional jurors may be drawn at any time. The Superior Court may, at any time, at its discretion, order the drawing of a sufficient number of additional jurors to prevent the necessity of summoning talesmen. (1949 Rev., S. 7918; 1959, P.A. 28, S. 207; P.A. 74-183, …

Sec. 51-230. Drawing of jurors in judicial districts. Section 51-230 is repealed. (1949 Rev., S. 7915; 1949, 1953, 1955, S. 3168d; 1957, P.A. 327, S. 1; 1961, P.A. 346, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 785, S. 1; 1972, P.A. 165, S. 8; June, 1972, P.A. 1, S. 20; P.A. 74-183, S. 84a, 291.)

Sec. 51-231. Drawing of jurors. Section 51-231 is repealed, effective October 1, 1997. (1955, S. 3169d; 1957, P.A. 327, S. 2; 1961, P.A. 346, S. 2; 1967, P.A. 785, S. 2; P.A. 74-183, S. 84, 291; P.A. 75-530, S. 10, 35; P.A. 76-436, S. 128, 681; P.A. 77-452, S. 18, 72; 77-576, S. …

Sec. 51-231a. Clerk to furnish slips containing the names of jurors. Section 51-231a is repealed. (P.A. 75-26, S. 4, 8; P.A. 77-576, S. 17, 65.)

Sec. 51-232. Summoning of jurors. Juror questionnaire. Reduction of panel. Courthouse. (a) The Jury Administrator shall send to each juror drawn, by first class mail, a notice stating the place where and the time when he or she is to appear and such notice shall constitute a suff…

Sec. 51-232a. Modification of date, location or other condition of juror service. The Jury Administrator may modify the date, location or other condition of juror service in order to meet the urgent needs of the court. The Jury Administrator shall employ any means of notice that …

Sec. 51-232b. Limitation re summons for jury duty. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 51-217a and 51-238a, when the number of jurors available for service for the jury year has been exhausted a juror may be impaneled in a new case not sooner than three months after he has…

Sec. 51-233. Verdict not affected by irregularities in summoning jurors. No verdict may be set aside on account of any irregularity in summoning the jury. (1949 Rev., S. 7919; P.A. 82-248, S. 126.) History: P.A. 82-248 rephrased section, substituting “may” for “shall”. Cited. 72 …

Sec. 51-234. Accommodations for jury panel. The Office of the Chief Court Administrator shall provide a suitable assembly room in the courthouse for the common jury panel. (1955, S. 3171d; 1961, P.A. 517, S. 35; P.A. 77-614, S. 73, 610; P.A. 84-436, S. 9, 12; P.A. 97-200, S. 8.) …

Secs. 51-235 and 51-236. Summoning of justice jurors. Return of jury warrant; fine. Sections 51-235 and 51-236 are repealed. (1949 Rev., S. 7923, 7924, 7929; 1959, P.A. 28, S. 204; P.A. 82-11, S. 11, 12.)

Sec. 51-237. Jurors failing to appear. Each juror, duly chosen, drawn and summoned, who fails to appear shall be subject to a civil penalty, the amount of which shall be established by the Chief Court Administrator, but the court may excuse such juror from the payment thereof. If…

Sec. 51-237a. Permission for juror to be absent. Any juror summoned to appear may, in the discretion of the judge of the court to which he is summoned, be permitted to absent himself from the court until a jury on which he may be serving is being impaneled if the judge is satisfi…

Sec. 51-238. Judge may direct juror attendance. Jurors attending court held by any judge may be directed by the judge to attend court held by any other judge in the same judicial district. (1949 Rev., S. 7921; 1949, March, 1950, 1955, S. 3173d; 1963, P.A. 206; P.A. 73-64; P.A. 76…

Sec. 51-238a. Length of term of service as juror. The length of the term of service for jurors shall be one day except that (1) if a juror is impaneled on a jury trial which lasts more than one day, then the term of service shall be the length of that trial, or (2) if a juror is …

Sec. 51-239. Selection of panel. The clerk of the court, in impaneling the jury for the trial of each cause, shall, when more jurors are in attendance than are required for the panel, designate by lot those who shall compose the panel. (1949 Rev., S. 7922; 1953, S. 3174d.) Cited.…

Sec. 51-239a. (Formerly Sec. 51-164e). Transfer of trial to jury session. Section 51-239a is repealed. (1959, P.A. 28, S. 33; 1971, P.A. 738; 870, S. 3; 1972, P.A. 281, S. 26; P.A. 74-183, S. 68, 291; P.A. 76-436, S. 82, 681; P.A. 78-379, S. 26, 27.)

Sec. 51-239b. (Formerly Sec. 51-164d). Waiver of jury in civil actions. In civil actions a jury shall be deemed waived unless requested by either party in accordance with the provisions of section 52-215. (1959, P.A. 28, S. 32; 1963, P.A. 418; 1971, P.A. 40, S. 4; 652, S. 1; P.A.…

Sec. 51-240. Examination of jurors in civil actions. (a) In any civil action tried before a jury, either party shall have the right to examine, personally or by his counsel, each juror outside the presence of other prospective jurors as to his qualifications to sit as a juror in …

Sec. 51-241. Peremptory challenges in civil actions. On the trial of any civil action to a jury, each party may challenge peremptorily three jurors. Where the court determines a unity of interest exists, several plaintiffs or several defendants may be considered as a single party…

Sec. 51-242. Transferred to Chapter 961, Sec. 54-82g.

Sec. 51-243. Alternate jurors in civil cases. (a) In any civil action to be tried to the jury in the Superior Court, if it appears to the court that the trial is likely to be protracted, the court may, in its discretion, direct that, after a jury has been selected, two or more ad…

Sec. 51-243a. Orientation of jurors. (a) All oral, written or audio-visual material presented to the juror pool with respect to the orientation of such pool shall, to the extent reasonably necessary and appropriate for the orientation of such juror pool, describe the responsibili…

Sec. 51-244. Jurors attending Court of Common Pleas may try civil and criminal causes at same term. Section 51-244 is repealed. (1949 Rev., S. 7920; 1963, P.A. 642, S. 52.)

Sec. 51-245. Duty of jurors. Prohibited conversations. Fines. Assistance of interpreter for jurors who are deaf or hard of hearing. (a) After a cause has been committed to a jury, the jurors shall be under the charge of an officer appointed by the court, who shall permit no other…

Sec. 51-245a. Rules re qualification of interpreters to assist jurors who are deaf or hard of hearing. In accordance with the provisions of section 51-14, the judges of the Superior Court shall make such rules as they deem necessary concerning the qualification of interpreters to…

Sec. 51-246. Court may require jury to remain together in certain cases. In the trial of any case involving a crime punishable by death, life imprisonment without the possibility of release or life imprisonment, the court may, in its discretion, require the jury to remain togethe…

Sec. 51-247. Compensation of jurors. Guidelines re reimbursement of expenses. (a) Each full-time employed juror shall be paid regular wages by the juror's employer for the first five days, or part thereof, of jury service. Such payment shall be subject to the requirements of sect…

Sec. 51-247a. Employer not to discharge employee or require additional hours work for jury service. Eight hours jury duty deemed a legal day's work. Penalty. Action for recovery of wages and reinstatement. Liability of employer for failure to compensate juror-employee. (a) An emp…

Sec. 51-247b. Prohibition on former juror serving as consultant. No person who serves as a juror in the trial of an action shall, for consideration, advise or consult with any party with respect to a subsequent retrial of such action or a separate trial arising out of the same tr…

Sec. 51-247c. Court may excuse compensation of juror. Waiver application. Juror service certificate. Filing of application. (a) Upon written application on a form prescribed by the Office of the Chief Court Administrator, the court may excuse (1) an employer from the duty to comp…