Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 959 - Court Jurisdiction and Power
Section 54-1d. - Place of arraignment. Multiple arrest warrants. Multiple credit card and automated teller machine offenses. Identity theft and related offenses. Violation of order of protection by electronic or telephonic means.

(a) For the purposes of this section, “geographical area” means the geographical area of the Superior Court established pursuant to section 51-348.

(b) Except as provided in subsections (d) and (e) of this section, defendants in criminal actions shall be presented for arraignment to:
(1) The court in the geographical area in which the crime was alleged to have been committed;
(2) If the arrest was by warrant, the court in the geographical area in which the crime was alleged to have been committed or in which the arrest was made; or
(3) If the arrest was by a warrant issued pursuant to section 53a-32 or for failure to appear as provided in section 53a-172 or 53a-173, the court in the geographical area in which the crime was alleged to have been committed or in which the arrest was made, or the superior court having jurisdiction over the underlying criminal prosecution.
(c) If the defendant was presented to the court in the geographical area in which the arrest was made for arraignment and was not released from custody after such arraignment, the defendant shall be presented to the court in the geographical area in which the crime was alleged to have been committed not later than the second court day following such arraignment. Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, any defendant who has been presented to the court in accordance with this section and is the subject of one or more additional arrest warrants issued for crimes that were alleged to have been committed in one or more geographical areas, other than the geographical area in which the defendant is initially presented, shall subsequently be presented to the court in each geographical area in which such crimes were alleged to have been committed, in such order as the courts may determine, not later than the second court day following the prior arraignment. A criminal cause shall not fail on the ground that it has been submitted to a session of improper venue.
(d) Any defendant who is charged with multiple offenses under any provision of section 53a-127b or sections 53a-128a to 53a-128i, inclusive, where such offenses were alleged to have been committed in more than one geographical area, may be presented to the court in any one of such geographical areas. The court may consolidate all such offenses into a single criminal action and shall have jurisdiction over such action.
(e) Any defendant who is charged with a violation of section 53a-129a of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to January 1, 2003, section 53a-129b, 53a-129c, 53a-129d or 53a-129e, and any defendant who is charged with any other offense committed as a result of such violation may be presented to the court in the geographical area in which the person whose personal identifying information has been obtained and used by the defendant resides and may be prosecuted in such geographical area or judicial district.
(f) Any defendant who is charged with a violation of section 53a-223, 53a-223a or 53a-223b by means of electronic or telephonic communication may be presented to the court in the geographical area in which (1) the victim resides, (2) the victim received the communication, or (3) the communication was initiated. Such defendant may be prosecuted in any such geographical area or a corresponding judicial district.
(P.A. 74-183, S. 206, 291; P.A. 76-436, S. 517, 681; P.A. 80-313, S. 29; P.A. 95-105; P.A. 98-45; P.A. 03-156, S. 8; P.A. 05-152, S. 7; P.A. 06-152, S. 14; P.A. 09-239, S. 9; P.A. 12-114, S. 9.)
History: P.A. 76-436 replaced court of common pleas with superior court, reflecting transfer of all trial jurisdiction to superior court and substituted reference to Sec. 51-348 for reference to Sec. 51-156a, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 80-313 deleted specific reference to superior court and rephrased protection for criminal causes submitted to session of improper venue; P.A. 95-105 authorized the defendant to be brought to the court in the geographical area in which the arrest was made for arraignment if the arrest was by warrant and added provision that if the defendant was brought to such court for arraignment and not released from custody, the defendant shall be presented to the court in the geographical area in which the crime was alleged to have been committed not later than the second court day following such arraignment; P.A. 98-45 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a), added exception language and added new Subsec. (b) re consolidation of credit card and automated teller machine fraud offenses; P.A. 03-156 amended Subsec. (a) to add exception re Subsec. (c) and added new Subsec. (c) re place of presentment of defendant charged with identity theft or any other offense committed as a result of such violation; P.A. 05-152 amended Subsec. (a) by adding provision re arraignment at superior court having jurisdiction over underlying criminal prosecution if defendant is arrested on warrant issued pursuant to Sec. 53a-32 or for failure to appear as provided in Sec. 53a-172 or 53a-173 and by making technical changes; P.A. 06-152 added new Subsec. (a) defining “geographical area”, divided existing Subsec. (a) into new Subsecs. (b)(1), (2) and (3) and (c) and made technical and conforming changes therein, inserted “in which the crime was alleged to have been committed or” in said Subsec. (b)(2), inserted “the court in the geographical area in which the crime was alleged to have been committed or in which the arrest was made, or” in said Subsec. (b)(3), added provision re presentment of defendant who is the subject of additional arrest warrants in said Subsec. (c), redesignated existing Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (d) and made a conforming change therein, and redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (e), effective June 6, 2006; P.A. 09-239 amended Subsec. (e) by adding reference to Sec. 53a-129e and provision re prosecution in geographical area or judicial district; P.A. 12-114 added Subsec. (f) re place of presentment of defendant charged with violation of Sec. 53a-223, 53a-223a or 53a-223b by means of electronic or telephonic communication.
Cited. 187 C. 264.
Cited. 39 CS 347.