Sec. 51-297. *(See end of section for amended version and effective date.) Determination of indigency; definition, investigation, reimbursement for services, appeal. Penalty for false statement. (a) A public defender, assistant public defender or deputy assistant public defender shall make such investigation of the financial status of each person he has been appointed to represent or who has requested representation based on indigency, as he deems necessary. He shall cause the person to complete a written statement under oath or affirmation setting forth his liabilities and assets, income and sources thereof, and such other information which the commission shall designate and require on forms furnished for such purpose.
(b) Any person who intentionally falsifies a written statement in order to obtain appointment of a public defender, assistant public defender or deputy assistant public defender shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
(c) If a public defender, assistant public defender or deputy assistant public defender is appointed to provide assistance to any person and he subsequently determines that the person is ineligible for assistance, the public defender, assistant public defender or deputy assistant public defender shall promptly inform the person in writing and make a motion to withdraw his appearance if filed, or his appointment if made by the court, as soon as it is practical to do so without prejudice to the case, giving the defendant a reasonable time to secure private counsel. If the withdrawal is granted by the court, the person shall reimburse the commission for any assistance which has been provided for which the person is ineligible.
(d) Reimbursement to the commission shall be made in accordance with a schedule of reasonable charges for public defender services which shall be provided by the commission.
(e) The Chief Public Defender or anyone serving under him may institute an investigation into the financial status of each defendant at such times as the circumstances shall warrant. In connection therewith, he shall have the authority to require a defendant or the parents, guardians or other persons responsible for the support of a minor defendant, child or youth, or those persons holding property in trust or otherwise for a defendant, child or youth, to execute and deliver such written authorizations as may be necessary to provide the Chief Public Defender, or anyone serving under him, with access to records of public or private sources, otherwise confidential, or any other information, which may be relevant to the making of a decision as to eligibility under this chapter. The Chief Public Defender, the Deputy Chief Public Defender, and each public defender, assistant public defender and deputy assistant public defender or designee, are authorized to obtain information from any office of the state or any subdivision or agency thereof on request and without payment of any fees.
(f) (1) As used in this chapter, “indigent defendant” means (A) a person who is formally charged with the commission of a crime punishable by imprisonment and who does not have the financial ability at the time of his request for representation to secure competent legal representation and to provide other necessary expenses of legal representation; (B) a child who has a right to counsel under the provisions of subsection (a) of section 46b-135 and who does not have the financial ability at the time of his request for representation to secure competent legal representation and to provide other necessary expenses of legal representation; or (C) any person who has a right to counsel under section 46b-136 and who does not have the financial ability at the time of his request for representation to secure competent legal representation and to provide other necessary expenses of legal representation.
(2) An assessment determining whether a person has the financial ability to secure competent legal representation and to provide other necessary expenses of legal representation or qualifies as an indigent defendant pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be based upon guidelines established by the commission. The commission shall annually establish such guidelines providing that a person whose income, calculated as described in such guidelines, is two hundred fifty per cent or less of the federal poverty level may qualify as an indigent defendant. The commission shall make such guidelines available to the public on the Division of Public Defender Service's Internet web site.
(g) If the Chief Public Defender or anyone serving under the Chief Public Defender determines that an individual is not eligible to receive the services of a public defender under this chapter, the individual may appeal the decision to the court before which the individual's case is pending.
(P.A. 74-317, S. 8, 14; P.A. 75-530, S. 28, 35; P.A. 76-436, S. 580, 681; P.A. 80-421; P.A. 81-472, S. 91, 159; P.A. 82-248, S. 149; P.A. 11-51, S. 6; P.A. 23-204, S. 201.)
*Note: On and after July 1, 2026, this section, as amended by section 14 of public act 25-95, is to read as follows:
“Sec. 51-297. Determination of indigency; definition, investigation, reimbursement for services, appeal. Penalty for false statement. (a) A public defender, assistant public defender or deputy assistant public defender shall make such investigation of the financial status of each person he has been appointed to represent or who has requested representation based on indigency, as he deems necessary. He shall cause the person to complete a written statement under oath or affirmation setting forth his liabilities and assets, income and sources thereof, and such other information which the commission shall designate and require on forms furnished for such purpose.
(b) Any person who intentionally falsifies a written statement in order to obtain appointment of a public defender, assistant public defender or deputy assistant public defender shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
(c) If a public defender, assistant public defender or deputy assistant public defender is appointed to provide assistance to any person and he subsequently determines that the person is ineligible for assistance, the public defender, assistant public defender or deputy assistant public defender shall promptly inform the person in writing and make a motion to withdraw his appearance if filed, or his appointment if made by the court, as soon as it is practical to do so without prejudice to the case, giving the defendant a reasonable time to secure private counsel. If the withdrawal is granted by the court, the person shall reimburse the commission for any assistance which has been provided for which the person is ineligible.
(d) Reimbursement to the commission shall be made in accordance with a schedule of reasonable charges for public defender services which shall be provided by the commission.
(e) The Chief Public Defender or anyone serving under him may institute an investigation into the financial status of each defendant at such times as the circumstances shall warrant. In connection therewith, he shall have the authority to require a defendant or the parents, guardians or other persons responsible for the support of a minor defendant, child or youth, or those persons holding property in trust or otherwise for a defendant, child or youth, to execute and deliver such written authorizations as may be necessary to provide the Chief Public Defender, or anyone serving under him, with access to records of public or private sources, otherwise confidential, or any other information, which may be relevant to the making of a decision as to eligibility under this chapter. The Chief Public Defender, the Deputy Chief Public Defender, and each public defender, assistant public defender and deputy assistant public defender or designee, are authorized to obtain information from any office of the state or any subdivision or agency thereof on request and without payment of any fees.
(f) (1) As used in this chapter, “indigent defendant” means (A) a person who is formally charged with the commission of a crime punishable by imprisonment and who does not have the financial ability at the time of his request for representation to secure competent legal representation and to provide other necessary expenses of legal representation; (B) a child who has a right to counsel under the provisions of subsection (a) of section 46b-135 and who does not have the financial ability at the time of his request for representation to secure competent legal representation and to provide other necessary expenses of legal representation; or (C) any person who has a right to counsel under section 46b-136 and who does not have the financial ability at the time of his request for representation to secure competent legal representation and to provide other necessary expenses of legal representation.
(2) An assessment determining whether a person has the financial ability to secure competent legal representation and to provide other necessary expenses of legal representation or qualifies as an indigent defendant pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be based upon guidelines established by the commission. The commission shall annually establish such guidelines providing that a person whose income, which shall exclude all service-connected disability benefits administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and otherwise be calculated as described in such guidelines, is two hundred fifty per cent or less of the federal poverty level may qualify as an indigent defendant. The commission shall make such guidelines available to the public on the Division of Public Defender Service's Internet web site.
(g) If the Chief Public Defender or anyone serving under the Chief Public Defender determines that an individual is not eligible to receive the services of a public defender under this chapter, the individual may appeal the decision to the court before which the individual's case is pending.”
(P.A. 74-317, S. 8, 14; P.A. 75-530, S. 28, 35; P.A. 76-436, S. 580, 681; P.A. 80-421; P.A. 81-472, S. 91, 159; P.A. 82-248, S. 149; P.A. 11-51, S. 6; P.A. 23-204, S. 201; P.A. 25-95, S. 14.)
History: P.A. 75-530 redefined “indigent defendant” in Subsec. (f) to include persons having right to counsel under Sec. 17-66f; P.A. 76-436 applied provisions to deputy assistant public defenders, effective July 1, 1978; P.A. 80-421 redefined “indigent defendant” to remove provision of P.A. 75-530 and to include children having right to counsel under Sec. 46b-135(a); P.A. 81-472 amended Subsec. (f) to provide that an “indigent person” is one who is unable to secure competent legal counsel and other necessary legal expenses; P.A. 82-248 rephrased the section but made no substantive changes; P.A. 11-51 amended Subsec. (e) to add references to “child or youth”, amended Subsec. (f) to add Subdiv. (3) re any person who has right to counsel under Sec. 46b-136 who does not have financial ability, and amended Subsec. (g) to make technical changes, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 23-204 amended Subsec. (f) by designating existing provisions as Subdiv. (1) and redesignating existing Subdivs. (1) to (3) as Subdiv. (1)(A) to (1)(C) and by adding new Subdiv. (2) re assessment to determine qualification based upon guidelines established annually by commission, effective July 1, 2025; P.A. 25-95 amended Subsec. (f)(2) by adding “which shall exclude all service-connected disability benefits administered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and otherwise be”, effective July 1, 2026.
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