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Section 54-47d – Appointment of investigatory grand jury. Duration and scope of investigation

May 11, 2021 | Connecticut, Criminal Procedure

(a) If the panel approves the application and orders an investigation into the commission of a crime or crimes, the Chief Court Administrator shall (1) appoint an investigatory grand jury to conduct the investigation, and (2) designate the court location in the judicial district where any motions to quash and any contempt proceedings shall be heard and any findings and records of the investigation shall be filed.
(b) Each order authorizing the investigation into the commission of a crime or crimes by the panel shall specify:

(1) The date of issuance of the order,
(2) the period of time within which the investigation is to be conducted, provided in no event shall the investigation be longer than six months from the date the Chief Court Administrator appoints the investigatory grand jury to conduct the investigation, unless an application for an extension of time is filed and granted pursuant to subsection (c) of this section,
(3) the scope of the investigation, and
(4) the panel’s reasons for finding that (A) the administration of justice requires an investigation to determine whether or not there is probable cause to believe that a crime or crimes have been committed, (B) if the application was made by the Chief State’s Attorney or a state’s attorney, other normal investigative procedures with respect to the alleged crime have been tried and have failed or reasonably appear to be unlikely to succeed if tried or be too dangerous to employ, or, due to the specific nature of the alleged crime or the nature of the investigation, it is reasonable to conclude that the use of normal investigative procedures would not result in the obtaining of information that would advance the investigation or would fail to secure and preserve evidence or testimony that might otherwise be compromised, and (C) the investigative procedures employed by the investigatory grand jury appear likely to succeed in determining whether or not there is probable cause to believe that a crime or crimes have been committed. The panel shall retain a copy of the order and the original application and shall transmit to the investigatory grand jury, appointed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the original order and a copy of the application filed with the panel.
(c) The investigatory grand jury may make an application to the panel of judges for an extension of time within which to conduct its investigation or for an amendment to the scope of its investigation. The application for extension or amendment shall set forth the reasons for the necessity of such extension or amendment. No more than two extensions or amendments of an order may be granted by the issuing panel. The period of any extension shall be no longer than the panel deems necessary to achieve the purposes for which it was granted and in no event shall any extension be for a period longer than six months.

Conn. Gen. Stat. ยง 54-47d

(P.A. 85-611, S. 3; P.A. 87-350, S. 3, 6; P.A. 98-48, S. 3; P.A. 03-273, S. 2.)

Cited. 202 Conn. 541; 204 Conn. 259; 206 Conn. 203; 207 Conn. 98; 213 Conn. 66; 221 Conn. 625. Cited. 16 Conn.App. 679; 17 Conn.App. 395; 20 Conn.App. 447. An application and order transmitted by an investigatory grand jury panel pursuant to Subsec. (b) are part of the record of the investigatory grand jury. 104 CA 398; judgment reversed, see 293 C. 247. Cited. 45 Conn.Supp. 1.