# Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-45: Sec. 54-45. When grand jury is required. Selecting grand jury. Alternate grand jurors

> Connecticut · Statutes · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-45

## Section

- **Citation:** Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-45
- **Heading:** Sec. 54-45. When grand jury is required. Selecting grand jury. Alternate grand jurors
- **Jurisdiction:** Connecticut
- **Kind:** Statutes
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** Connecticut Code / Title 54 / Chapter 960 / Section 54-45

## Text

(b) No person shall be put to plea or held to trial for any crime the punishment of which may be death or imprisonment for life, charged by the state before May 26, 1983, unless an indictment has been found against him for such crime by a grand jury legally impaneled and sworn, and no bill shall be presented by any grand jury unless at least twelve of the jurors agree to it.

See Sec. 1-25 re forms of oaths for jurors.

Powers and duties of grand jury. 1 C. 428. Where death or imprisonment for life is not penalty, no grand jury necessary. 3 C. 112. Inquiry before grand jury must be secret. 16 C. 467. Not necessary that accused be present. 21 C. 279. Quaere, whether member of grand jury may be challenged for favor; if absolute disqualification is discovered after indictment found, it may be pleaded in avoidance. 47 C. 106. The endorsement of a “true bill” on an indictment cannot be contradicted by parol evidence on habeas corpus proceedings; 67 C. 553; and, in habeas corpus proceedings in U.S. courts, failure to so endorse is not regarded. 160 U.S. 231. When required, an interpreter may be present in the grand jury room. 106 C. 721. When an accused person is confined for a crime punishable by death or life imprisonment, it is the duty of the court to order a grand jury; and this may be done before opening of term to which accused was bound over. Id., 719. When court may select members of grand jury. 126 C. 64. In a general investigation by grand jury, state's attorney may be present to aid in examination of witnesses. Id., 66. Jury may have stenographer present; what evidence jury may elicit. Id., 71. Constitution does not protect a person from being questioned by grand jury but only gives immunity from answering particular questions; history and nature of grand jury. Id., 72. Cited. 135 C. 269. Requires an indictment by a grand jury in all cases in which the penalty to be imposed may be life imprisonment. 144 C. 295. Grand jury in which 7 out of 18 are attorneys not in itself illegal where there is no evidence of an intentional and systematic exclusion of any group. 146 C. 137. Cited. Id., 227; 153 C. 325. There is no federal constitutional impediment to dispensing entirely with grand jury in state prosecutions. 155 C. 367. In absence of contrary evidence, presumption arises that selection of grand jury was made without discrimination and fairly by officer in charge of selection. 158 C. 341. Cited. 159 C. 264; 164 C. 402; 176 C. 270; 181 C. 268; 183 C. 299; 184 C. 597. Presence of counsel before grand jury discussed; grand jury transcript available to defendant under Subsec. (a) is made available under the inherent supervisory powers of the Superior Court and evidentiary uses of it by defendant are restricted to impeaching a witness, attacking the credibility of a witness or proving inconsistent statements of a witness. 187 C. 281. Trial court's denial of motion to quash the ordering of second grand jury is not one of those few presentence orders deemed final for purposes of appeal. 191 C. 27. During period between November 24, 1982, and May 26, 1983, statute provided authorization for use of grand juries in cases punishable by death or life imprisonment. 192 C. 671. Cited. Id., 700; 194 C. 416; Id., 692; 197 C. 247; Id., 280; Id., 507; 199 C. 163; 202 C. 18; 203 C. 641; 204 C. 259; 207 C. 276; 226 C. 601.

Cited. 4 CA 544; 10 CA 103; 27 CA 643; Id., 675.
purposes of appeal. 191 C. 27. During period between November 24, 1982, and May 26, 1983, statute provided authorization for use of grand juries in cases punishable by death or life imprisonment. 192 C. 671. Cited. Id., 700; 194 C. 416; Id., 692; 197 C. 247; Id., 280; Id., 507; 199 C. 163; 202 C. 18; 203 C. 641; 204 C. 259; 207 C. 276; 226 C. 601.

Cited. 4 CA 544; 10 CA 103; 27 CA 643; Id., 675.

Cited. 6 CS 221; 22 CS 6, 7. Person not given right to counsel before grand jury decision; this is not “critical stage” in proceedings against him. 25 CS 61. Grand jury is not prohibited from receiving hearsay evidence; that such evidence may have been considered by the grand jury would not entitle one who had been indicted to have the indictment quashed. Id., 388. Counsel for the accused may not accompany him before the grand jury. Id., 389. Section was fully complied with by the court and its officers in summoning grand jury in absence of a showing that any of the members were disqualified for any reason. 26 CS 211. Nature of grand jury discussed; not the state's burden to prove that the method of selection of grand jury was fair and nondiscriminatory. Id., 213. Charge to grand jury that presumption of sanity was adequate basis on which to find, so far as element of soundness of mind was concerned, probable cause to hold accused for trial, was accurate; constitutional right of accused to counsel does not include representation by counsel before a grand jury. Id., 214. Indictment insufficient in law may be attacked by demurrer; provision that grand jurors come from county where court sits is broad enough to comply with federal constitutional requirement that there must be no intentional or systematic exclusion of group or class from grand jury. 29 CS 119. Exclusion of aliens from grand jury service does not make statute unconstitutional since citizenship requirement bears rational relationship to demands of jury service. 35 CS 98. Cited. 36 CS 141; 45 CS 1.

## Nearby sections

- [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-45 Sec. 54-45. When grand jury is required. Selecting grand jury. Alternate grand jurors.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-45.md)
- [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-45a Sec. 54-45a. Record of grand jury proceedings. Transcripts.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-45a.md)
- [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-46 Sec. 54-46. Prosecution on complaint or information.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-46.md)
- [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-46a Sec. 54-46a. Probable cause hearing for persons charged with crimes punishable by death, life imprisonment without possibility of release or life imprisonment.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-46a.md)
- [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-47a Sec. 54-47a. Compelling testimony of witness. Immunity from prosecution.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-47a.md)
- [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-47aa Sec. 54-47aa. Ex parte order to compel disclosure of or direct application to carrier or provider for certain telephone and Internet records.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-47aa.md)
- [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-47b Sec. 54-47b. Investigatory grand jury. Definitions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-47b.md)
- [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-47c Sec. 54-47c. Application for investigation into commission of crime.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-47c.md)
- [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-47d Sec. 54-47d. Appointment of investigatory grand jury. Duration and scope of investigation.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-47d.md)
- [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-47e Sec. 54-47e. Sealing of order and application. Summary of scope of investigation. Disclosure.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-47e.md)
- [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-47f Sec. 54-47f. Conduct of investigation. Testimony of witnesses.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-47f.md)
- [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-47g Sec. 54-47g. Finding and record of investigation. Disclosure. Hearing. Access to testimony.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-47g.md)
- [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-47h Sec. 54-47h. Report.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-47h.md)
- [Conn. Gen. Stat. § 54-47i Sec. 54-47i. Authority of investigation ordered prior to October 1, 1985.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-47i.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_CT_T54_C960_S54-45. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.