Connecticut Misdemeanors

A misdemeanor is a criminal offense less serious than a felony but more serious than a civil infraction. As such, the penalties it attracts are neither as harsh as those for felonies nor as light as those for civil infractions. In Connecticut, misdemeanors can attract fines, probation, and short prison terms served locally (in county jails, not in state prisons). Each state sets its own classifications and penalties for misdemeanors.

What Is a Misdemeanor in Connecticut?

Connecticut law defines a misdemeanor as any offense for which the permissible term of imprisonment does not exceed one year. The Penal Code expressly classifies misdemeanors for sentencing purposes as Class A, B, C, D, and unclassified offenses.

Connecticut has refined the maximum terms that an offender can get for a misdemeanor offense - this was done to avoid federal immigration consequences. By law, a misdemeanor sentence should not exceed 364 days unless a specific law says otherwise.

Misdemeanors are different from violations or infractions (which generally attract only fines) and from felonies (which are punishable by more than one year). Examples of typical Connecticut misdemeanors include lower-level theft, disorderly conduct, third-degree assault, simple drug possession (as charged), and various motor-vehicle offenses that fall short of felony level. The particular law that defines an offense will also designate its class and penalties.

Misdemeanor Classes and Penalties in Connecticut

Unless a specific law says differently, the authorized jail terms for misdemeanors are:

• Class A – up to 1 year;
• Class B – up to 6 months;
• Class C – up to 3 months;
• Class D – up to 30 days;
• Unclassified – as specified in the defining law.

Connecticut also caps the fine amounts by class:

• Class A – up to $2,000;
• Class B – up to $1,000;
• Class C – up to $500;
• Class D – up to $250;
• Unclassified – as specified in the offense law.

In addition to jail and fines, courts may impose probation and require offenders to pay restitution. In some cases, the courts may also order community service, treatment/counseling conditions, and no-contact or protective orders, as authorized by the particular laws and general sentencing provisions. Connecticut may enhance the penalties for repeat offenders and those considered to be “persistent offenders”.

Although§ 53a-36 lists the traditional “1 year / 6 months / 3 months / 30 days” caps by class, Connecticut also enacted § 53a-36a, which clarifies thatno misdemeanor sentence may exceed 364 days unless a specific law says otherwise. Connecticut courts apply these provisions together during sentencing.

Misdemeanor Court Process in Connecticut

All criminal cases in Connecticut are handled in the Superior Court, but they are organized into Geographical Area (G.A.) courts and Judicial District (J.D.) courts. As the Judicial Branch explains, G.A. courts typically handle all criminal arraignments, most misdemeanors, and certain felonies, while the J.D. courts try the most serious matters.

Misdemeanor court cases typically follow the following steps:

1. Arrest or summons: Police may arrest a suspect or issue a summons/complaint for a misdemeanor.
2. Arraignment in the G.A. court: The judge lets the offender know the charge(s) and their rights. It also sets the conditions of release, and an initial plea is taken. A public defender is appointed if the defendant cannot afford one themselves, and jail is a possible outcome here.
3. Pre-trial phase: At this stage, discovery, motions, and negotiations are done. The defendant may be able to get access to diversionary programs if they are authorized.
4. Trial or plea: If no resolution is reached, the case proceeds to trial (this could be a jury or bench trial, depending on the charge and demand). Here’s where the case is properly heard, and evidence and witnesses are reviewed.
5. Sentencing: If there is a conviction or if a plea was taken, the court imposes a sentence within the legal class limits (including probationary terms and restitution, as applicable).
6. Post-judgment and appeal: Defendants may appeal judgments they believe to be unfair under the appellate rules. Sentencing can also have collateral consequences (e.g., licensing, immigration, firearms, or driving status), depending on the law.

Offenders who are arrested for misdemeanor serve their terms in local/county-level detention facilities under state auspices, not in the Department of Corrections’ long-term prison system for felonies.

Misdemeanor Records in Major Connecticut Cities

Because Connecticut uses a unified Superior Court with G.A. locations, the way you access misdemeanor records is largely standardized statewide, with local variations in courthouse logistics. Three high-volume Connecticut areas illustrate the pattern:

• Bridgeport (Fairfield County): Criminal arraignments and most misdemeanors are heard at G.A. No. 2, 172 Golden Hill Street. The Judicial Branch maintains an official page with location details. Case information is retrievable through the statewide Criminal/Motor Vehicle Case Look-up system.
• Hartford (Hartford County): Hartford-area misdemeanors are also filed in the appropriate G.A. for the arresting town, with public access through the Case Look-up portaland clerk’s offices for certified copies.
• New Haven (New Haven County): New Haven matters are assigned to G.A. 23 (121 Elm Street) or other G.A. locations, depending on the arrest town. You can search records through the same statewide portals.

Across these cities, online access points are consistent. The Judicial Branch’s Case Look-up hub and the dedicated Criminal/Motor Vehicle search. You can pay fines for infractions and certain violations through the Centralized Infractions Bureau (CIB), which offers online payment/plea tools.

How to Search for Misdemeanor Records in Connecticut

1. Identify the court location: Start by first finding out the court where the record is located. You can use the Judicial Branch’s Location Codes / G.A. list to confirm where the case sits (e.g., GA-2 Bridgeport; GA-23 New Haven).
2. Use the statewide portal: Go to Criminal/Motor Vehicle Case Look-up to search by name, case number, or ticket number. The portal indicates the coverage window (e.g., convictions within the past ten years appear, with additional views for pending cases).
3. Online records: You can find information on case numbers, charges, events, dispositions, and financials (fines/fees/restitution) online. The official misdemeanor records in Connecticut remain the clerk’s paper/electronic file. Some documents are viewable only at the courthouse.
4. Paying fines or responding to tickets: For eligible motor-vehicle and infraction matters, use the CIB ePay page to pay or plead not guilty (the site explains processing timelines and the ticket/complaint number requirement).
5. If it’s not online. Contact the clerk’s office for certified copies, older archives, or sealed-record notices. The Judicial Branch directory and publications provide contact and process information.

Open vs. sealed/erased records: Juvenile matters, certain victim-sensitive records, and cases ordered sealed/erased by law do not appear in public results. The Judicial Branch maintains topic pages on publicly available categories.

How Long Does a Misdemeanor Stay on Your Record in Connecticut?

Connecticut now implements a Clean Slate framework (Public Act 21-32 and updates) that provides for automatic erasure of many convictions after defined waiting periods—generally seven years for most classified/unclassified misdemeanor convictions, and ten years for certain low-level felonies—provided you’ve completed all sentences for all convictions and incurred no new convictions during the applicable period. State resources explain eligibility and timing and note that pre-2000 convictions may require a petition rather than automatic processing.

Two important cautions:

• Eligibility limits apply: There are eligibility restrictions. Not all misdemeanors qualify for the automatic erasure (i.e., certain family violence, sex, etc. are not included). Always look at official Clean Slate eligibility information and get legal advice if you have any questions.
• Erasure vs. access: If the record is lawfully erased, the Judicial Branch and any criminal-history library may prohibit access by members of the public. However, there may be limited access by law enforcement or the court in limited situations provided legally.

Without any efforts to remove it, a misdemeanor record can remain visible for many years in court indexes and background checks. With Clean Slate (or a case-specific petition/erasure order), eligible misdemeanors are removed from public view after the legal waiting period.