Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 872a - Removal, Suspension and Censure of Judges
Section 51-51o. - Witnesses to testify.

(a) Any person may be compelled, by subpoena signed by competent authority, to appear before the Supreme Court or Judicial Review Council to testify in relation to any complaint brought to or by the court or council against a judge, an administrative law judge or a family support magistrate for conduct alleged in section 51-51i, in relation to any matter referred to the council by the Chief Court Administrator pursuant to section 51-45b, or in relation to any matter before the council pursuant to section 51-49, and may be compelled, by subpoena signed by competent authority, to produce before the court or council, for examination, any books or papers which in the judgment of the court or council or any judges, administrative law judges or family support magistrates under investigation are relevant to the inquiry or investigation. The court or council, while engaged in the discharge of its duties, shall have the same authority over witnesses as is provided in section 51-35 and may commit for contempt for a period no longer than thirty days.

(b) In making any investigation, the court or council may use the services of the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services or any other state agency, provided only the court may use the services of the Division of Criminal Justice.
(P.A. 77-494, S. 9, 18; 77-614, S. 486, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 82-248, S. 43; P.A. 86-402, S. 6, 13; P.A. 89-360, S. 35, 45; P.A. 92-160, S. 10, 19; P.A. 95-257, S. 11, 58; P.A. 11-51, S. 134; P.A. 21-18, S. 1; 21-104, S. 40.)
History: P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 made state police department a division within the department of public safety, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 82-248 made technical revision, rewording some provisions and dividing section into Subsecs. but made no substantive change; P.A. 86-402 amended Subsec. (a) to authorize the hearing of testimony in relation to matters referred to council by chief court administrator pursuant to Sec. 51-45b; P.A. 89-360 added references to family support magistrates; P.A. 92-160 added references to compensation commissioner and removed authority of judicial review council to use services of division of criminal justice in making any investigation; P.A. 95-257 replaced Commissioner and Department of Mental Health with Commissioner and Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, effective July 1, 1995; pursuant to P.A. 11-51, “Department of Public Safety” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection” in Subsec. (b), effective July 1, 2011; pursuant to P.A. 21-18, “compensation commissioner” and “compensation commissioners” were changed editorially by the Revisors to “administrative law judge” and “administrative law judges” respectively, and a conforming change was made in Subsec. (a), effective October 1, 2021; P.A. 21-104 amended Subsec. (a) to add provision re any matter before the council pursuant to Sec. 51-49.

Structure Connecticut General Statutes