CONNECTICUT STATUTES AND CODES
Sec. 53a-35a. Imprisonment for any felony committed on or after July 1, 1981: Definite sentences; terms authorized.
Sec. 53a-35a. Imprisonment for any felony committed on or after July 1, 1981:
Definite sentences; terms authorized. For any felony committed on or after July 1,
1981, the sentence of imprisonment shall be a definite sentence and the term shall be
fixed by the court as follows: (1) For a capital felony, a term of life imprisonment without
the possibility of release unless a sentence of death is imposed in accordance with section
53a-46a; (2) for the class A felony of murder, a term not less than twenty-five years nor
more than life; (3) for the class A felony of aggravated sexual assault of a minor under
section 53a-70c, a term not less than twenty-five years or more than fifty years; (4) for
a class A felony other than an offense specified in subdivision (2) or (3) of this section,
a term not less than ten years nor more than twenty-five years; (5) for the class B felony
of manslaughter in the first degree with a firearm under section 53a-55a, a term not less
than five years nor more than forty years; (6) for a class B felony other than manslaughter
in the first degree with a firearm under section 53a-55a, a term not less than one year
nor more than twenty years, except that for a conviction under section 53a-59(a)(1),
53a-59a, 53a-70a, 53a-94a, 53a-101(a)(1) or 53a-134(a)(2), the term shall be not less
than five years nor more than twenty years; (7) for a class C felony, a term not less than
one year nor more than ten years, except that for a conviction under section 53a-56a,
the term shall be not less than three years nor more than ten years; (8) for a class D
felony, a term not less than one year nor more than five years, except that for a conviction
under section 53a-60b or 53a-217, the term shall be not less than two years nor more
than five years, for a conviction under section 53a-60c, the term shall be not less than
three years nor more than five years, and for a conviction under section 53a-216, the
term shall be five years; (9) for an unclassified felony, a term in accordance with the
sentence specified in the section of the general statutes that defines the crime.
(P.A. 80-442, S. 10, 28; P.A. 86-220; P.A. 92-260, S. 15; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-2, S. 2; P.A. 07-143, S. 12.)
History: P.A. 80-442 effective July 1, 1981; P.A. 86-220 amended Subdiv. (1) to add "imprisonment without the
possibility of release" to reflect revision made by P.A. 85-366; P.A. 92-260 amended Subdiv. (6) to add reference to "Sec.
53a-217" and provision that "for a conviction under section 53a-216, the term shall be five years", to reflect existing
minimum mandatory sentences prescribed in said sections; July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-2 added a new Subdiv. (4) to provide a
term of not less than 5 years nor more than 40 years for the class B felony of manslaughter in the first degree with a firearm
under Sec. 53a-55a, renumbering the remaining Subdivs. accordingly, and amended Subdiv. (5) to provide that the specified
sentence is for a class B felony "other than manslaughter in the first degree with a firearm under section 53a-55a" and
delete a reference to Sec. 53a-55a, reflecting the separate sentencing provisions established for Sec. 53a-55a in Subdiv.
(4); P.A. 07-143 added new Subdiv. (3) to provide a term of not less than 25 years or more than 50 years for the class A
felony of aggravated sexual assault of a minor under Sec. 53a-70c, renumbering the remaining Subdivs. accordingly, and
amended renumbered Subdiv. (4) to replace "a class A felony other than murder" with "a class A felony other than an
offense specified in subdivision (2) or (3) of this section", effective July 1, 2007.
See Sec. 53a-41 re fines for felonies.
Cited. 196 C. 655. Cited. 197 C. 337. Cited. 198 C. 92. Cited. 200 C. 268; Id., 664. Cited. 201 C. 598. Cited. 210 C.
519. Cited. 211 C. 258. Cited. 212 C. 31. Definite sentencing scheme for any felony under this section implicitly repealed
indeterminate sentencing aspect of Sec. 21a-278(a). 214 C. 378. Cited. 219 C. 752. Cited. 220 C. 169. Cited. 225 C. 559.
Cited. 230 C. 109. Cited. 234 C. 139; Id., 735. Cited. 235 C. 502. Cited. 238 C. 389. Cited. 240 C. 743.
Cited. 6 CA 680. Cited. 8 CA 491. Cited. 9 CA 686. Cited. 10 CA 659. Cited. 12 CA 403. Cited. 19 CA 571. Cited. 23
CA 201. Cited. 32 CA 759. Cited. 35 CA 714. Cited. 42 CA 348.
Subdiv. (1):
Cited. 207 C. 374. Cited. 235 C. 206.
Subdiv. (2):
Cited. 216 C. 282.
Cited. 34 CA 58, 93; judgment reversed, see 232 C. 537.
Subdiv. (3):
Cited. 198 C. 671. Cited. 235 C. 679.
Cited. 8 CA 177.
Subdiv. (4):
Cited. 202 C. 93.
Cited. 15 CA 416.
Subdiv. (5):
Subdiv. (6):
Cited. 218 C. 273.
Cited. 10 CA 486.