Greater Bridgeport Planning Region

Greater Bridgeport Planning Region follows Connecticut law on arrests, release, and courts. These rules are the same in every county in the state; the full set covers prosecutors, defense, and jails too.

Who decides release first

The police decide first. A police chief or designee must interview the arrested person and release them on a written promise or a bond the officer sets. If the person can't post it, a Judicial Branch bail commissioner or intake specialist sets conditions. Police can't release on a promise or unsecured bond in a family violence crime involving a firearm.

C.G.S. 54-63c and 54-63d

Time to see a judge

A person arrested and not released must be presented promptly at the next regular sitting of the Superior Court where the offense happened. The law sets no hour limit. The U.S. Supreme Court's 48-hour rule for a probable cause finding applies as the federal floor.

C.G.S. 54-1g

Money bail

Money bail is allowed. Since 2017, when the only charges are misdemeanors, a court may not set money bail unless the charge is family violence, the person asks for it, or the court finds a likely risk they will not appear or will obstruct justice.

C.G.S. 54-64a(a)(2)

Courts

Connecticut has one trial court, the Superior Court. Geographical area courthouses hear arraignments and all but the most serious criminal cases, and judicial district courthouses hear the most serious felonies. Probate courts don't hear crimes.

Connecticut Judicial Branch, Divisions of Superior Court

Judges and magistrates

The governor nominates judges from a list the Judicial Selection Commission approves, and the General Assembly appoints them for eight-year terms.

Connecticut State Register and Manual, Judicial Department

Read from the statutes and court rules cited, 2026-09-30. Police set a bond amount themselves; the statute text read does not show a statewide money schedule, so schedule_release means police money bail, not a court schedule. Bail commissioner qualifications were not found.

• Bridgeport Police DepartmentCity152,588 served
• Fairfield Police DepartmentFairfield town66,290 served
• Stratford Police DepartmentStratford town53,961 served
• Trumbull Police DepartmentTrumbull town38,448 served
• Monroe Police DepartmentMonroe town19,395 served
• Easton Police DepartmentCity7,874 served

Agencies: FBI NIBRS master file 2025 batch headers; names from the FBI agency list, pulled 2026-09-29. An agency that serves several counties appears on each. Population served is the FBI's figure.