Formed 2000 Governing body State of Connecticut | Legal jurisdiction State of Connecticut | |
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Preceding agency Connecticut County Sheriffs Legal personality Governmental: Government agency Operations jurisdiction* State of Connecticut, USA | ||
Connecticut State Marshals are sworn peace officers in the State of Connecticut. Their primary duty is to serve and execute civil process directed to them from courts or various state agencies. There are approximately 235 state marshals serving in Connecticut, assigned to specific counties within the state. Connecticut state marshal operations are overseen by the State Marshal Commission, an executive branch commission within the Department of Administrative Services, located in Hartford, Connecticut.
Contents
History
Sheriffs existed in Connecticut prior to the adoption of its first constitution in 1818. In 2000, following several corruption scandals involving sheriffs, Article IV, Section 25 of the 1965 Constitution of the State of Connecticut (which specified the election of county sheriffs), was repealed. The sheriffs were replaced with the state marshal system and judicial marshals.
Sheriffs in Connecticut had several powers and duties under Connecticut statutes: deputy sheriffs received and executed process, and special deputy sheriffs handled transportation of prisoners and courthouse security. With the abolition of sheriffs, the special deputies and their direct judicial functions were absorbed into the judicial branch and became judicial marshals, and the deputy sheriffs became state marshals.
Description
The state marshal system consists of an eight-member State Marshal Commission, appointed for a three-year term, which sets training requirements and professional standards amongst other things; a 24-member advisory board – marshals elected by other marshals for one year – for communicating with the branches of government and discussing law changes and issues important to marshals; and approximately 235 state marshals, allocated by county. Two members of the advisory board also sit ex officio on the commission. The state marshal system is a function of the executive branch of state government, although it is also publicized by the judicial branch.
Connecticut state marshals are compensated on a fee for service basis. They are independent officers paid directly by attorneys, self-represented parties, or the various state agencies that hire them. State marshals are authorized by the state to perform certain duties and services, and their fees are governed by state law. The judicial branch can arrange a fee waiver in certain circumstances.
Services
Connecticut state marshals have a broad range of statutory authority, and perform a number of functions for courts and other state agencies. Duties and services include, but are not limited to, serving court documents (including summons and complaint, restraining orders, subpoenas, and contempt citations), transferring minors in emergency ex parte custody matters, enforcing judgments (including bank executions, wage garnishments, and seizure of property), evictions, serving tax warrants, and arresting individuals on bench warrants.
Warrant Unit
The Connecticut State Marshals have a warrant unit made up of approximately 35 POSTC-certified uniformed officers. They are provided unmarked and marked vehicles by the State of Connecticut, generally kept at local State Police barracks.