Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 871 - Courts
Section 51-27i. - Family violence victim advocate services in Family Division of Superior Court and geographical area courts.

(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Domestic violence agency” means any office, shelter, host home or agency offering assistance to victims of domestic violence through crisis intervention, emergency shelter referral and medical and legal advocacy, and which meets the Department of Social Services' criteria of service provision for such agencies.
(2) “Family violence victim advocate” means a person (A) who is employed by and under the control of a direct service supervisor of a domestic violence agency, (B) who has undergone a minimum of twenty hours of training which shall include, but not be limited to, the dynamics of domestic violence, crisis intervention, communication skills, working with diverse populations, an overview of the state criminal justice and civil family court systems and information about state and community resources for victims of domestic violence, (C) who is certified as a counselor by the domestic violence agency that provided such training, and (D) whose primary purpose is the rendering of advice, counsel and assistance to, and the advocacy of the cause of, victims of domestic violence.
(b) The Chief Court Administrator shall permit one or more family violence victim advocates to provide services to victims of domestic violence in (1) the Family Division of the Superior Court in each judicial district, and (2) each geographical area court in the state.
(c) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes restricting the disclosure of documents, upon request, a family violence victim advocate providing services in the Family Division of the Superior Court or a geographical area court shall be provided with a copy of any police report in the possession of the state's attorney, the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, any municipal police department or any other law enforcement agency that the family violence victim advocate requires to perform the responsibilities and duties set forth in subsection (b) of this section.
(P.A. 14-217, S. 191; P.A. 21-78, S. 12.)
History: P.A. 14-217 effective January 1, 2015; P.A. 21-78 amended Subsec. (b) to replace provision re family violence victim advocates in one or more judicial districts with family violence victim advocates in each judicial district and designate same as Subdiv. (1) and added Subdiv. (2) re each geographical area court and added Subsec. (c) re provision of police reports to family violence victim advocates, effective July 1, 2021.

Structure Connecticut General Statutes