(a) There shall be a Centralized Infractions Bureau of the Superior Court to handle payments or pleas of not guilty with respect to the commission of an infraction under any provision of the general statutes or a violation set forth in subsection (b) of this section. Except as provided in § 51-164o, any person who is alleged to have committed an infraction or a violation under subsection (b) of this section may plead not guilty or pay the established fine and any additional fee or cost for the infraction or such violation.

Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 51-164n

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
  • Ordinance: means an enactment under the provisions of §. See Connecticut General Statutes 1-1
  • Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
  • Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, any person who is alleged to have committed (1) a violation under the provisions of § 1-9, 1-10, 1-11, 2-71h, 4b-13, 7-13, 7-14, 7-35 or 7-41, subsection (c) of § 7-66, § 7-83, 7-147h, 7-148, 7-148f, 7-148o, 7-283, 7-325, 7-393, 8-12, 8-25, 8-27, 9-63, 9-322, 9-350, 10-185, 10-193, 10-197, 10-198, 10-230, 10-251, 10-254, 10a-35, 12-52, 12-54, 12-129b or 12-170aa, subdivision (3) of subsection (e) of § 12-286, § 12-286a, 12-292, 12-314b or 12-326g, subdivision (4) of § 12-408, subdivision (3), (5) or (6) of § 12-411, § 12-435c, 12-476a, 12-476b, 12-476c, 12-487, 13a-71, 13a-107, 13a-113, 13a-114, 13a-115, 13a-117b, 13a-123, 13a-124, 13a-139, 13a-140, 13a-143b, 13a-253, 13a-263 or 13b-39f, subsection (f) of § 13b-42, § 13b-90 or 13b-100, subsection (a) of § 13b-108, § 13b-221 or 13b-292, subsection (a) or (b) of § 13b-324, § 13b-336, 13b-337, 13b-338, 13b-410a, 13b-410b or 13b-410c, subsection (a), (b) or (c) of § 13b-412, § 13b-414 or 14-4, subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of § 14-12, subsection (d) of § 14-12, subsection (f) of § 14-12a, subsection (a) of § 14-15a, § 14-16c, 14-20a or 14-27a, subsection (f) of § 14-34a, subsection (d) of § 14-35, § 14-43, 14-44j, 14-49, 14-50a, 14-58 or 14-62a, subsection (b) of § 14-66, § 14-66a or 14-67a, subsection (g) of § 14-80, subsection (f) or (i) of § 14-80h, § 14-97a or 14-98, subsection (a), (b) or (d) of § 14-100a, § 14-100b, 14-103a, 14-106a, 14-106c, 14-145a or 14-146, subsection (b) of § 14-147, § 14-152, 14-153, 14-161 or 14-163b, subsection (f) of § 14-164i, § 14-213b or 14-219, subdivision (1) of § 14-223a, subsection (d) of § 14-224, § 14-240, 14-250, 14-253a, 14-261a, 14-262, 14-264, 14-266, 14-267a, 14-269, 14-270, 14-272b, 14-274, 14-275 or 14-275a, subsection (c) of § 14-275c, § 14-276, subsection (a) or (b) of § 14-277, § 14-278, 14-279 or 14-280, subsection (b), (e) or (h) of § 14-283, § 14-283d, 14-283e, 14-283f, 14-283g, 14-291, 14-293b, 14-296aa, 14-298a, 14-300, 14-300d, 14-300f, 14-319, 14-320, 14-321, 14-325a, 14-326, 14-330 or 14-332a, subdivision (1), (2) or (3) of § 14-386a, § 15-15e, 15-25 or 15-33, subdivision (1) of § 15-97, subsection (a) of § 15-115, § 16-15, 16-16, 16-44, 16-256e, 16-278 or 16a-15, subsection (a) of § 16a-21, § 16a-22, subsection (a) or (b) of § 16a-22h, § 16a-106, 17a-24, 17a-145, 17a-149 or 17a-152, subsection (b) of § 17a-227, § 17a-465, subsection (c) of § 17a-488, § 17b-124, 17b-131, 17b-137, 19a-33, 19a-39 or 19a-87, subsection (b) of § 19a-87a, § 19a-91, 19a-102a, 19a-102b, 19a-105, 19a-107, 19a-113, 19a-215, 19a-216a, 19a-219, 19a-222, 19a-224, 19a-286, 19a-287, 19a-297, 19a-301, 19a-309, 19a-335, 19a-336, 19a-338, 19a-339, 19a-340, 19a-425, 19a-442, 19a-502, 19a-565, 20-7a, 20-14, 20-153a, 20-158, 20-231, 20-233, 20-249, 20-257, 20-265, 20-324e, 20-329c or 20-329g, subsection (b) of § 20-334, § 20-341l, 20-366, 20-482, 20-597, 20-608, 20-610, 20-623, 21-1, 21-38, 21-39, 21-43, 21-47, 21-48 or 21-63, subsection (d) of § 21-71, § 21-76a or 21-100, subsection (c) of § 21a-2, subdivision (1) of § 21a-19, § 21a-20 or 21a-21, subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of § 21a-25, § 21a-26 or 21a-30, subsection (a) of § 21a-37, § 21a-46, 21a-61, 21a-63, 21a-70b or 21a-77, subsection (b) or (c) of § 21a-79, § 21a-85 or 21a-154, subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of § 21a-159, § 21a-278b, subsection (c), (d) or (e) of § 21a-279a, § 21a-421eee, 21a-421fff, 21a-421hhh, subsection (a) of § 21a-430, § 22-12b, 22-13, 22-14, 22-15, 22-16, 22-26g, 22-30, 22-34, 22-35, 22-36, 22-38, 22-39, 22-39f, 22-49, 22-54, 22-61j or 22-61l, subdivision (1) of subsection (n) of § 22-61l, subsection (f) of § 22-61m, subdivision (1) of subsection (f) of § 22-61m, § 22-84, 22-89, 22-90, 22-96, 22-98, 22-99, 22-100 or 22-111o, subsection (d) of § 22-118l, § 22-167, subsection (c) of § 22-277, § 22-278, 22-279, 22-280a, 22-318a, 22-320h, 22-324a or 22-326, subsection (b), subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (e) or subsection (g) of § 22-344, subsection (a) or (b) of § 22-344b, § 22-344c, subsection (d) of § 22-344d, § 22-344f, 22-350a, 22-354, 22-359, 22-366, 22-391, 22-413, 22-414, 22-415, 22-415c, 22a-66a or 22a-246, subsection (a) of § 22a-250, § 22a-256g, subsection (e) of § 22a-256h, § 22a-363 or 22a-381d, subsections (c) and (d) of § 22a-381e, § 22a-449, 22a-450, 22a-461, 23-4b, 23-38, 23-45, 23-46 or 23-61b, subsection (a) or subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of § 23-65, § 25-37 or 25-40, subsection (a) of § 25-43, § 25-43d, 25-135, 26-18, 26-19, 26-21, 26-31, 26-40, 26-40a, 26-42, 26-43, 26-49, 26-54, 26-55, 26-56, 26-58 or 26-59, subdivision (1) of subsection (d) of § 26-61, § 26-64, subdivision (1) of § 26-76, § 26-79, 26-87, 26-89, 26-91, 26-94, 26-97, 26-98, 26-104, 26-105, 26-107, 26-114a, 26-117, subsection (b) of § 26-127, 26-128, 26-128a, 26-131, 26-132, 26-138, 26-139 or 26-141, subdivision (1) of § 26-186, § 26-207, 26-215, 26-217 or 26-224a, subdivision (1) of § 26-226, § 26-227, 26-230, 26-231, 26-232, 26-244, 26-257a, 26-260, 26-276, 26-280, 26-284, 26-285, 26-286, 26-287, 26-288, 26-290, 26-291a, 26-292, 26-294, 27-107, 28-13, 29-6a, 29-16, 29-17, 29-25, 29-143o, 29-143z or 29-156a, subsection (b), (d), (e), (g) or (h) of § 29-161q, § 29-161y or 29-161z, subdivision (1) of § 29-198, § 29-210, 29-243 or 29-277, subsection (c) of § 29-291c, § 29-316 or 29-318, subsection (b) of § 29-335a, § 29-381, 30-19f, 30-48a or 30-86a, subsection (b) of § 30-89, subsection (c) or (d) of § 30-117, § 31-3, 31-10, 31-11, 31-12, 31-13, 31-14, 31-15, 31-16, 31-18, 31-23, 31-24, 31-25, 31-32, 31-36, 31-38, 31-40, 31-44, 31-47 or 31-48, subsection (b) of § 31-48b, § 31-51, 31-51g, 31-52, 31-52a, 31-53 or 31-54, subsection (a) or (c) of § 31-69, § 31-70, 31-74, 31-75, 31-76, 31-76a, 31-89b or 31-134, subsection (i) of § 31-273, § 31-288, 31-348, 33-624, 33-1017, 34-13d or 34-412, subdivision (1) of § 35-20, subsection (a) of § 36a-57, subsection (b) of § 36a-665, § 36a-699, 36a-739, 36a-787, 38a-2 or 38a-140, subsection (a) or (b) of § 38a-278, § 38a-479qq, 38a-479rr, 38a-506, 38a-548, 38a-626, 38a-680, 38a-713, 38a-733, 38a-764, 38a-786, 38a-828, 38a-829, 38a-885, 42-133hh, 42-230, 42-470 or 42-480, subsection (a) or (c) of § 43-16q, § 45a-283, 45a-450, 45a-634 or 45a-658, subdivision (13) or (14) of § 46a-54, § 46a-59, 46a-81b, 46b-22, 46b-24, 46b-34, 46b-38d, 47-34a, 47-47 or 47-53, subsection (i) of § 47a-21, subdivision (1) of subsection (k) of § 47a-21, § 49-2a, 49-8a, 49-16, 52-143 or 52-289, subsection (j) of § 52-362, § 53-133, 53-199, 53-212a, 53-249a, 53-252, 53-264, 53-280, 53-290a, 53-302a, 53-303e, 53-311a, 53-314, 53-321, 53-322, 53-323 or 53-331, subsection (b) of § 53-343a, § 53-344, subsection (b) or (c) of § 53-344b, subsection (b) of § 53-345a, § 53-377, 53-422 or 53-450 or subsection (i) of § 54-36a, or (2) a violation under the provisions of chapter 268, or (3) a violation of any regulation adopted in accordance with the provisions of § 12-484, 12-487 or 13b-410, or (4) a violation of any ordinance, regulation or bylaw of any town, city or borough, except violations of building codes and the health code, for which the penalty exceeds ninety dollars but does not exceed two hundred fifty dollars, unless such town, city or borough has established a payment and hearing procedure for such violation pursuant to § 7-152c, shall follow the procedures set forth in this section.

(c) If any person who is alleged to have committed an infraction or any violation specified in subsection (b) of this section elects to pay the fine and any additional fees or costs established for such infraction or violation, he shall send payment, by mail or otherwise, to the Centralized Infractions Bureau, made payable to the “clerk of the Superior Court”. Such payment shall be considered a plea of nolo contendere and shall be inadmissible in any proceeding, civil or criminal, to establish the conduct of the person, provided the provisions of this section and § 51-164m shall not affect the application of any administrative sanctions by either the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection authorized under title 26 or the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles authorized under title 14, except that no points shall be assessed by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles against the operator’s license of such person for such infraction or violation. The Judicial Department shall provide notice of the provisions of this subsection to law enforcement agencies and direct each law enforcement agency issuing a complaint to provide such notice to any person who is alleged to have committed a motor vehicle infraction or violation at the time a complaint alleging such conduct is issued to such person.

(d) If the person elects to plead not guilty, he shall send the plea of not guilty to the Centralized Infractions Bureau. The bureau shall send such plea and request for trial to the clerk of the geographical area where the trial is to be conducted. Such clerk shall advise such person of a date certain for a hearing.

(e) A summons for the commission of an infraction or of a violation specified in subsection (b) of this section shall not be deemed to be an arrest and the commission of an infraction or of any such violation shall not be deemed to be an offense within the meaning of § 53a-24.

(f) The provisions of this section shall apply to the alleged commission of an infraction or a violation specified in subsection (b) of this section by a minor but, in a case involving a minor, a parent or guardian shall sign any plea of nolo contendere or of not guilty on any summons form issued in connection with the matter.

(g) If a person elects to plead not guilty and send the plea of not guilty to the Centralized Infractions Bureau in accordance with subsection (d) of this section, such person may subsequently, at a proceeding at Superior Court, reach an agreement with the prosecutorial official as to the amount of the fine to be paid and elect to pay such fine without appearing before a judicial authority. The amount of the fine agreed upon shall not exceed the amount of the fine established for such infraction or violation. Any person who pays a fine pursuant to this subsection shall also pay any additional fees or costs established for such infraction or violation. Such person shall make such payment to the clerk of the Superior Court and such payment shall be considered a plea of nolo contendere and shall be inadmissible in any proceeding, civil or criminal, to establish the conduct of such person, provided the provisions of this section and § 51-164m shall not affect the application of any administrative sanctions by either the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection authorized under title 26 or the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles authorized under title 14. A plea of nolo contendere pursuant to this subsection does not have to be submitted in writing. Nothing in this subsection shall affect the right of a person who is alleged to have committed an infraction or any violation specified in subsection (b) of this section to plead not guilty and request a trial before a judicial authority.

(h) In any trial for the alleged commission of an infraction, the practice, procedure, rules of evidence and burden of proof applicable in criminal proceedings shall apply. Any person found guilty at the trial or upon a plea shall be guilty of the commission of an infraction and shall be fined not less than thirty-five dollars or more than ninety dollars or, if the infraction is for a violation of any provision of title 14, not less than fifty dollars or more than ninety dollars.

(i) In any trial for the alleged commission of a violation specified in subsection (b) of this section, the practice, procedure, rules of evidence and burden of proof applicable in criminal proceedings shall apply, except that in any trial for the alleged commission of a violation under subsection (a) of § 21a-279a, the burden of proof shall be by the preponderance of the evidence. Any person found guilty at the trial or upon a plea shall be guilty of the commission of a violation and shall be fined not more than the statutory amount applicable to such violation.