A criminal contempt deferred under Section 1-17 shall be prosecuted by means of an information. The judicial authority may, either upon its own order or upon the request of the prosecuting authority, issue a summons or an arrest warrant for the accused. The case shall proceed as any other criminal prosecution under these rules and the General Statutes. The sentence shall be pronounced in open court and shall not exceed six months imprisonment or a fine of $500, or both, for each contumacious act.
Section 1-18.—Nonsummary Contempt Proceedings
Current through August 12, 2025 (2026 Practice Book edition) · Last verified July 9, 2026
In one sentenceSets out how a nonsummary contempt case is prosecuted once deferred under Section 1-17, capping punishment at six months in prison, a $500 fine, or both, for each contumacious act.
Full Text of Section 1-18
Amendment History
(P.B. 1978-1997, Sec. 991.) (Amended June 28, 1999, to take effect Jan. 1, 2000.)
Plain-English Summary
When a judicial authority defers a criminal contempt matter instead of punishing it on the spot, Section 1-18 governs what happens next. The state prosecutes the case by information, the same charging document used in ordinary criminal cases. The judicial authority, acting on its own or at the prosecuting authority’s request, may issue a summons or an arrest warrant to bring the accused before the court.
From there, the case moves like any other criminal prosecution under the rules of practice and the General Statutes. That means the accused gets the procedural protections built into ordinary criminal proceedings, rather than the quick, on-the-spot process used for summary contempt. If the judicial authority finds the person guilty, it must pronounce the sentence in open court, and that sentence cannot exceed six months of imprisonment or a $500 fine, or both, for each act of contempt charged.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the maximum penalty for nonsummary contempt in Connecticut?
The sentence cannot exceed six months imprisonment or a $500 fine, or both, for each contumacious act, and it must be pronounced in open court.
How does the state start a nonsummary contempt case?
The state prosecutes it by information, and the judicial authority may issue a summons or an arrest warrant to bring the accused to court, either on its own initiative or at the prosecuting authority’s request.
Does a nonsummary contempt case follow regular criminal procedure?
Yes. Once the case is deferred under Section 1-17, it proceeds like any other criminal prosecution under the Practice Book rules and the General Statutes.
Source & verification. The section text is reproduced verbatim from the
official Connecticut Practice Book (Conn. Practice Book § 1-18). Prescribed by the Judges of the Superior Court of Connecticut (Conn. Gen. Stat. Section 51-14). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 9, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as: nonsummary contempt prosecution Connecticutcontempt by information Connecticutmaximum penalty nonsummary contemptdeferred contempt criminal prosecutionarrest warrant for contempt Connecticut