Sec. 51-5c. Automated registry of protective orders. - Connecticut Statutes

      Sec. 51-5c. Automated registry of protective orders. (a) The Chief Court Administrator shall establish and maintain an automated registry of protective orders that shall contain (1) protective or restraining orders issued by courts of this state, including, but not limited to, orders issued pursuant to sections 46b-15, 46b-38c, 53a-40e, 54-1k, 54-82q and 54-82r, and (2) foreign orders of protection that have been registered in this state pursuant to section 46b-15a. The registry shall clearly indicate the date of commencement, the termination date, if specified, and the duration of any order contained therein. The Chief Court Administrator shall adopt policies and procedures for the operation of the registry.

      (b) (1) The following information contained in the registry of protective orders shall not be subject to disclosure and may be accessed only in accordance with this section, unless otherwise ordered by the court: (A) Any information that would identify a person protected by an order contained in the registry; (B) any information that is confidential pursuant to state or federal law, including, but not limited to, any information that is confidential pursuant to a court order; and (C) any information entered in the registry pursuant to an ex parte order prior to a hearing by a court having jurisdiction over the parties and the subject matter.

      (2) Any employee of the Judicial Department authorized by policies and procedures adopted by the Chief Court Administrator shall have access to such information. The Chief Court Administrator may grant access to such information to personnel of the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Correction, the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Psychiatric Security Review Board, the Division of Criminal Justice, any municipal or tribal police department within this state or any other agency, organization or person determined by the Chief Court Administrator, pursuant to policies and procedures adopted by the Chief Court Administrator, to have a legitimate interest in the information contained in the registry. Any person who obtains such information pursuant to this subdivision may use and disclose the information only in the performance of such person's duties.

      (3) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the information contained in the registry shall be provided to and may be accessed through the Connecticut on-line law enforcement communications teleprocessing system maintained by the Department of Public Safety. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit public access to the Connecticut on-line law enforcement communications teleprocessing system.

      (c) Any person protected by an order contained in the registry of protective orders may make a request in writing, on a form prescribed by the Chief Court Administrator, that the registry not disclose such protected person's name and address except to the law enforcement agency for the town in which (1) such protected person resides, (2) such protected person is employed, or (3) the person subject to the order resides.

      (d) Any person who has reason to believe that information concerning such person which is contained in the registry of protective orders is not consistent with a valid court order may submit a written request for verification of such information to the clerk of the superior court for the judicial district in which such order was issued. If the clerk finds that such information contained in the registry is not consistent with such order, the clerk shall promptly cause such information to be removed from the registry.

      (e) The orders and other information required or permitted to be contained in the registry of protective orders may be entered in the registry in any written or electronic form approved by the Chief Court Administrator. For the purposes of this section, an order is contained in the registry if the information contained in such order and information concerning the issuance of such order is entered in the registry in a manner approved by the Chief Court Administrator pursuant to this subsection.

      (P.A. 02-132, S. 53; P.A. 03-98, S. 2; P.A. 04-257, S. 118; P.A. 05-108, S. 5.)

      History: P.A. 02-132 effective January 1, 2003; P.A. 03-98 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing provision re automated registry may contain protective orders issued by courts of other states with provision re automated registry shall contain foreign orders of protection and adding subdivision designators; P.A. 04-257 amended Subsec. (b)(2) to delete reference to personnel of the Board of Parole, effective June 14, 2004; P.A. 05-108 amended Subsec. (b)(2) to restore reference to personnel of the Board of Pardons and Paroles, effective June 7, 2005.