Sec. 1-25. Forms of oaths. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 1-25. Forms of oaths. The forms of oaths shall be as follows, to wit:

FOR MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, EXECUTIVE
AND JUDICIAL OFFICERS.

      You do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that you will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the state of Connecticut, so long as you continue a citizen thereof; and that you will faithfully discharge, according to law, the duties of the office of .... to the best of your abilities; so help you God.

FOR NOTARIES PUBLIC.

      You do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that you will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the state of Connecticut; and that you will faithfully discharge, according to law, the duties of the office of notary public to the best of your abilities; so help you God.

FOR ELECTORS.

      You solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that you will be true and faithful to the constitutions and governments of the State of Connecticut and the United States of America; that the statements made in your application for admission as an elector are true and complete; and that your privileges as an elector are not forfeited by reason of conviction of a felony; so help you God.

FOR ATTORNEYS.

      You solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that you will do nothing dishonest, and will not knowingly allow anything dishonest to be done in court, and that you will inform the court of any dishonesty of which you have knowledge; that you will not knowingly maintain or assist in maintaining any cause of action that is false or unlawful; that you will not obstruct any cause of action for personal gain or malice; but that you will exercise the office of attorney, in any court in which you may practice, according to the best of your learning and judgment, faithfully, to both your client and the court; so help you God or upon penalty of perjury.

FOR PETIT JURORS IN CRIMINAL CAUSES.

      You solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that you will, without respect of any persons or favor of any person, decide this case between the state of Connecticut and the defendant (or defendants) based on the evidence given in court and on the laws of this state, as explained by the judge; that you will not talk to each other about this case until instructed to do so; that you will listen to and consider what the other jurors have to say in deliberations about this case; that you will not speak to anyone else, or allow anyone else to speak to you, about this case until you have been discharged by the court; and that when you reach a decision, you will not disclose the decision until it is announced in court; so help you God or upon penalty of perjury.

FOR ALTERNATE JURORS IN CRIMINAL CAUSES.

      You solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that, if you become a member of the jury for this case, you will, without respect of any persons or favor of any person, decide this case between the state of Connecticut and the defendant (or defendants) based on the evidence given in court and on the laws of this state, as explained by the judge; that you will not talk to each other about this case until instructed to do so; that you will listen to and consider what the other jurors have to say in deliberations about this case; that you will not speak to anyone else, or allow anyone else to speak to you about this case until you have been discharged by the court; and that when you reach a decision, you will not disclose the decision until it is announced in court; so help you God or upon penalty of perjury.

FOR JURORS IN CIVIL CAUSES.

      You solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that you will decide this case between the plaintiff and the defendant (or plaintiffs and defendants) based on the evidence given in court and on the laws of this state as explained by the judge; that you will not talk to each other about this case until instructed to do so; that you will listen to and consider what the other jurors have to say in deliberations about this case; that you will not speak to anyone else, or allow anyone else to speak to you, about this case; and that when you reach a decision, you will not disclose the decision until it is announced in court; so help you God or upon penalty of perjury.

FOR ALTERNATE JURORS IN CIVIL CAUSES.

      You solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that, if you become a member of the jury for this case, you will decide this case between the plaintiff and the defendant (or plaintiffs and defendants) based on the evidence given in court and on the laws of this state as explained by the judge; that you will not talk to each other about this case until instructed to do so; that you will listen to and consider what the other jurors have to say in deliberations about this case; that you will not speak to anyone else, or allow anyone else to speak to you, about this case; and that when you reach a decision, you will not disclose the decision until it is announced in court; so help you God or upon penalty of perjury.

VOIR DIRE.

      You solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that you will answer truthfully all questions that you are asked, none of which will be about the merits of the case for which the jury is being selected; so help you God or upon penalty of perjury.

FOR WITNESSES.

      You solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that the evidence you shall give concerning this case shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth; so help you God or upon penalty of perjury.

FOR INVESTIGATORY GRAND JURY WITNESSES.

      You solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that the evidence you shall give concerning this investigation into the commission of a crime or crimes, shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth; so help you God or upon penalty of perjury.

FOR WITNESSES TWELVE YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER.

      You promise that you will tell the truth.

FOR AN INTERPRETER IN A CRIMINAL CASE.

      You solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that you will interpret accurately the information (or indictment) that charges the accused with a crime and all questions that the accused may be asked under the direction of the court in a language the accused can understand and speak; that you will interpret accurately the pleas of the accused to the information (or indictment) and the answers of the accused to the court (or to the court and jury) in English; and that you will make all interpretations to the best of your skill and judgment; so help you God or upon penalty of perjury.

FOR AN INTERPRETER IN COURT.

      You solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that you will interpret accurately the oath to be administered to the witness and all questions that the witness may be asked under direction of the court in a language the witness can understand and speak; that you will interpret accurately the answers of the witness to the court (or to the court and jury) in English; and that you will make all interpretations to the best of your skill and judgment; so help you God or upon penalty of perjury.

FOR AN INTERPRETER FOR A DEAF
OR HEARING IMPAIRED JUROR.

      You solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that you will interpret accurately to a deaf or hearing impaired juror the juror orientation program, any oath to be administered to the juror, all testimony and other relevant conversation, and all questions that the juror may be asked under the direction of the court; that you will interpret accurately the answers of the juror to the court in English; that you will not participate in any manner in the deliberations of the jury other than making an accurate interpretation of the remarks of the jurors during deliberations; that you will make all interpretations to the best of your skill and judgment; and that you will not communicate with anyone outside the jury concerning the business or matters before the jury; so help you God or upon penalty of perjury.

FOR ASSESSORS, TO SUBSCRIBE UPON ABSTRACT.

      I, ...., assessor of the town of ...., do solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that I believe that all the lists, and the abstract of said town for the year 20.., are made up and perfected according to law; so help me God or upon penalty of perjury.

FOR PLAINTIFF, WHEN INDIFFERENT PERSON IS
AUTHORIZED TO SERVE WRIT.

      You solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that you believe the plaintiff is (or plaintiffs are) in danger of losing the debt (damage or other thing) in this writ, unless an indifferent person is authorized to immediately serve this writ; so help you God or upon penalty of perjury.

FOR MEMBERS OF A COURT-MARTIAL.

      You solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that you will truly try and determine, according to the evidence given in court, the matters depending between this state and the officer (or officers) now to be tried; that you will not divulge the sentence of the court until the same shall have been approved or disapproved, according to law; neither will you, at any time, disclose the vote or opinion of any member of the court, unless required by due course of law; so help you God.

FOR THE JUDGE-ADVOCATE OF A COURT-MARTIAL.

      You solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that you will not, at any time whatever, disclose the vote or opinion of any member of any court-martial in which you may be called to act, unless required by due course of law, nor divulge the sentence of any such court, unless the same shall have been approved or disapproved, according to law; and that you will faithfully and impartially do the duty of judge-advocate, according to your best ability; so help you God.

FOR OFFICIALS APPOINTED TO SERVE IN ANY POLLING
PLACE IN ANY ELECTION OR PRIMARY.

      You solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that you will faithfully discharge, according to law, your duties as ...., to the best of your ability; and that you will serve in this election or primary as the case may be, as an official, completely impartial with respect to any candidate or any political party; so help you God.

FOR ALL OTHER PERSONS OF WHOM AN OATH IS REQUIRED.

      You solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that you will faithfully discharge, according to law, your duties as .... to the best of your abilities; so help you God or upon penalty of perjury.

      (1949 Rev., S. 3576, 7911(b); March, 1958, P.A. 27, S. 40, 41; 1961, P.A. 207; 1967, P.A. 901, S. 10; 1969, P.A. 235, S. 1; P.A. 81-350, S. 3, 17; P.A. 83-2; 83-475, S. 2, 43; P.A. 85-613, S. 4, 154; P.A. 86-131, S. 1, 2; 86-184, S. 1, 2; P.A. 89-177, S. 2; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-1, S. 5, 7; P.A. 93-167; P.A. 02-71, S. 2.)

      History: 1961 act added oath for election and primary officials; 1967 act repealed oath for jury of inquest; 1969 act revised the oath for electors; P.A. 81-350 substituted word "person" for "man" in electors' oath; P.A. 83-2 replaced the word "prisoner at the bar" with "defendant" in the oath of petit and alternate jurors in criminal causes; P.A. 83-475 amended form of electors' oath to include reference to application for admission and forfeiture of electors' privileges; P.A. 85-613 made technical changes to restore language inadvertently lost through computer error; P.A. 86-131 added oath for an interpreter for a deaf or hearing impaired juror; P.A. 86-184 added new oath for notaries public; P.A. 89-177 added oath for witnesses 12 years of age or younger; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 92-1 shortened the elector's oath; P.A. 93-167 made technical changes to forms, changing "man" to "person", "he" to "the witness", "his" to "the" and added phrase "or affirm, as the case may be" to some forms for uniformity; P.A. 02-71 revised oaths for attorneys, jurors, voir dire, witnesses, interpreters, assessors, plaintiffs when indifferent person is authorized to serve writ, and other persons, deleted oath for grand jurors impaneled in court and added oath for investigatory grand jury witnesses.

      A juror who converses with nonjurors about the cause violates his oath. 3 D. 219. See 80 C. 314; 87 C. 368. Whether jurors are to be sworn on voir dire is in court's discretion. 47 C. 518. Grand juror's oath does not prevent member from testifying on trial as to accused's statements. 56 C. 399. Improper argument by an attorney may be violation of his oath. 72 C. 244. Origin of attorney's oath. 79 C. 49. Exact form of assessor's oath is directory, not mandatory; effect of slight deviation from prescribed wording. 104 C. 583. Justices of peace conducting inquest bound to secrecy by their oath. 110 C. 507. Cited. 128 C. 650; 137 C. 123. Oaths indicate that obligations of attorney can in no way conflict with obligations of grand juror. 146 C. 137. Cited. 159 C. 264. Cited. 162 C. 249. Cited. 182 C. 419. Cited. 187 C. 73. Judge has duty to see that no falsehood or other fraud is perpetrated in court, and once he declares that he believes a party or a witness has been deceitful, he cannot continue to preside in his role of impartial arbiter. Id., 163. Cited. 189 C. 303. Cited. 193 C. 670. Cited. 197 C. 141. Cited. 200 C. 91. Cited. 202 C. 463. Cited. 210 C. 359. Cited. 211 C. 672. Cited. 222 C. 541. Cited. 236 C. 112.

      Cited. 13 CA 330. Cited. 19 CA 95. Cited. 25 CA 21; Id., 543; judgment reversed, see 222 C. 541. Cited. 34 CA 58; judgment reversed, see 232 C. 537.

      Suspension from practice for misrepresentation to a judge in chambers. 2 CS 122. Slight deviation from the strictly proper form of oath does not render appraisal defective. 4 CS 427. Cited. 29 CS 305. Cited. 34 CS 147.