Connecticut
Connecticut Restraining Order Laws (2026): How to Get a Civil Restraining Order
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 17, 2026). · Reviewed by the RecordingLaw editorial team. · Law checked current as of August 17, 2026. · 2 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
In Connecticut, a Civil Restraining Order under CGS 46b-15 protects a family or household member who is the victim of domestic violence, a term Connecticut law defines to include coercive control and not only physical threats. If the application alleges an immediate and present physical danger, the court may issue an emergency ex parte order; a final order can last up to one year and is extendable.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For confidential help 24/7, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (text START to 88788).
Types of restraining orders in Connecticut
Connecticut operates two separate civil tracks depending on your relationship with the person you need protection from.
The first track is the Civil Restraining Order under CGS 46b-15. It is available to a family or household member who is the victim of domestic violence, as that term is defined in CGS 46b-1, committed by another family or household member. Because it requires a qualifying family or household relationship, it is sometimes called the domestic-violence civil track. It is filed in the Superior Court Family Part.
The second track is the Civil Protection Order under CGS 46b-16a. It is for victims of sexual abuse, sexual assault, or stalking, and it carries no relationship requirement. The statute makes it a fallback rather than a free-standing alternative: an applicant may seek it only if that person has not obtained any other court order of protection arising out of the same abuse, assault, or stalking and does not qualify to seek relief under CGS 46b-15. In practice that means someone who has the family or household relationship needed for a restraining order files under 46b-15, not under 46b-16a. Connecticut's statute defines stalking for this section as two or more wilful acts, performed in a threatening, predatory, or disturbing manner, of harassing, following, lying in wait for, surveilling, monitoring, or sending unwanted gifts or messages to another person, that cause that person to reasonably fear for his or her physical safety.
Connecticut courts can also issue a Criminal Protective Order under CGS 54-1k when a criminal case is pending, but that order is initiated by the prosecutor, not the victim. This article focuses on the two civil orders a petitioner can request independently.
Who can get a restraining order in Connecticut?
For a Civil Restraining Order (CGS 46b-15), you must have a qualifying family or household relationship with the respondent. Connecticut's statute covers a broad range of relationships:
- Current or former spouses
- Persons who share or have shared a residence (household members)
- Co-parents (persons who have a child together)
- Persons in a current or past dating relationship
- Other family members who continuously reside or have resided together
You must also be the victim of domestic violence as CGS 46b-1 defines it. Since Jennifer's Law (Public Act 21-78) took effect in 2021, that definition reaches four kinds of conduct:
- A continuous threat of present physical pain or physical injury
- Stalking, including stalking as described in CGS 53a-181d
- A pattern of threatening that intimidates the family or household member or a third party
- Coercive control
Coercive control means a pattern of behavior that in purpose or effect unreasonably interferes with a person's free will and personal liberty. The statute lists examples: isolating the person from friends, relatives, or other sources of support; depriving the person of basic necessities; controlling, regulating, or monitoring the person's movements, communications, daily behavior, finances, economic resources, or access to services; compelling the person by force, threat, or intimidation, including threats based on actual or suspected immigration status, to do something the person has a right to refuse or to stop doing something the person has a right to do; committing or threatening cruelty to an animal in order to intimidate the person; and forced sex acts or threats of a sexual nature.
This matters for who qualifies. None of the four grounds requires that you were hit or physically injured. A person subjected to financial control, isolation, monitoring, or immigration-status threats can meet the standard with no history of physical violence. Harassment by itself is not one of the listed grounds, although a court can enjoin harassing conduct once an order has been issued.
For a Civil Protection Order (CGS 46b-16a), no family or household relationship is required, but the statute imposes two conditions of its own. The applicant must be a victim of sexual abuse, sexual assault, or stalking, must not have obtained any other court order of protection arising out of that same abuse, assault, or stalking, and must not qualify to seek relief under CGS 46b-15. This track exists precisely because many victims of those offenses do not have a domestic relationship with the person who harmed them, and it is closed to those who do.
If you are unsure which order applies to your situation, the Superior Court Family Part self-help center can help you identify the right form and track.
How to file for a restraining order in Connecticut
Both civil orders are filed in the Superior Court. For a Civil Restraining Order (CGS 46b-15), you file in the Superior Court Family Part in the judicial district where you or the respondent resides. For a Civil Protection Order (CGS 46b-16a), you also file in Superior Court.
Under the federal Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), courts cannot charge the petitioner a filing fee or service fee for a domestic-violence protective order. In Connecticut, the Judicial Branch covers the cost of service, and there is no filing fee for the petitioner.
To begin, you complete a petition form describing the abuse, threats, or stalking. Court self-help centers, located in most Superior Court facilities, provide forms and staff who can assist you in completing the paperwork without giving you legal advice. Connecticut also has domestic-violence advocates embedded in many courthouses through organizations like Safe Connect (the Connecticut statewide DV hotline at 1-888-774-2900) who can accompany you to court and help you through the process.
If you face an immediate threat and cannot wait for regular court hours, contact local law enforcement. A police officer can also refer the matter for an emergency Criminal Protective Order.
Temporary vs. final orders: how long they last
There is no statutory entitlement to a same-day emergency order. CGS 46b-15(b) says only that if an applicant alleges an immediate and present physical danger to the applicant, the court may issue an ex parte order granting such relief as it deems appropriate. Three things follow from that wording: the relief is discretionary, it is gated on an allegation of immediate and present physical danger, and the statute sets no deadline for the court to rule. Connecticut courts in practice often act on an ex parte application the same day or the next court day, but that is court practice, not a right the statute confers. An ex parte order takes effect without the respondent being present and protects you until the hearing.
Because Jennifer's Law lets a coercive-control applicant qualify for a restraining order without any allegation of immediate physical danger, some applicants who are clearly eligible for a final order will not receive an ex parte order and will be protected only from the hearing forward. That is not a sign the application is weak.
The hearing date is set by statute. Upon receipt of the application the court must order a hearing not later than 14 days from the date of that order. One exception shortens the window: if the application indicates the respondent holds a permit to carry a pistol or revolver, an eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver, a long gun eligibility certificate, or an ammunition certificate, or possesses one or more firearms or ammunition, and the court issues an ex parte order, the hearing must be held not later than 7 days from the date the ex parte order was issued. At the hearing, both you and the respondent have the opportunity to present evidence. If the court finds sufficient grounds, it issues a final order. A week or two is little time to prepare, so ask a Connecticut family lawyer for a free case evaluation on assembling your evidence for that hearing (attorney advertising).
| Order stage | Duration |
|---|---|
| Emergency ex parte (temporary) | Discretionary, and only on an allegation of immediate and present physical danger; lasts until the hearing |
| Hearing deadline | Within 14 days of the court's order, or within 7 days of an ex parte order when the application flags firearms or a firearms permit or certificate |
| Final Civil Restraining or Protection Order | Up to 1 year; extendable by court on motion for additional time |
If the respondent does not appear at the hearing and was properly served, the court can still issue the final order. If you need the order extended beyond one year, you can file a motion before it expires and the court can extend it for additional time as it deems necessary.
Firearms and a Connecticut protective order
When a Civil Restraining Order or Civil Protection Order is granted in Connecticut, the court may order the respondent to surrender any firearms, pistol permits, or eligibility certificates. The petition form asks whether the respondent possesses firearms or holds a pistol permit or a Firearms Eligibility Certificate. If firearms are present, the court notifies the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP), which administers Connecticut's firearm licensing system.
Flagging firearms on the application also changes how the papers are served. Under CGS 46b-15(h)(2), when the application indicates the respondent holds one of those permits or certificates or possesses firearms or ammunition and the court has issued an ex parte order, the serving officer must whenever possible provide in-hand service, must give advance notice to the law enforcement agency for the town where service will take place of when and where it will occur, must send that agency a copy of the application, the affidavit, the ex parte order, and the notice of hearing, and must request that one of its officers be present when service is executed.
The surrender duty is not purely a matter of judicial discretion. Under CGS 29-36k(b), a person who knows he or she is subject to a restraining or protective order of a Connecticut court, issued after notice was provided, in a case involving the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against another person must act immediately and in no event more than 24 hours after that notice. Within that window the respondent must either sell the firearms and ammunition to a federally licensed firearms dealer or deliver or surrender them to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, and a local police department may accept them on the Commissioner's behalf. That obligation comes from the statute itself once notice is given, so the court does not have to order it separately. Note the limits of the trigger: it applies to an order entered after notice in a case involving physical force, so an ex parte order entered before the respondent has been notified, or a final order resting on non-physical coercive control, may not start the 24-hour clock.
Keeping firearms or ammunition past that point is a separate crime. CGS 53a-217(a)(4) makes it criminal possession of a firearm, ammunition, or an electronic defense weapon for a person who knows he or she is subject to such an order to possess them, and CGS 53a-217(b) makes that offense a class C felony, with two years and one day of the sentence that may not be suspended or reduced by the court.
A qualifying final protective order also triggers the federal prohibition under 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(8). Under that federal law, a person subject to a qualifying final order may not possess, purchase, or transfer any firearm or ammunition for the duration of the order. This federal ban applies regardless of whether the state court specifically ordered a firearm surrender.
Respondents who keep firearms after a qualifying order is issued therefore face the Connecticut class C felony described above in addition to federal exposure. If you believe the respondent has not surrendered firearms as ordered, notify your local law enforcement agency or contact the court.
What happens if someone violates the order?
Violating a Civil Restraining Order or Civil Protection Order is a serious criminal offense in Connecticut, but the two orders are enforced under separate statutes with different maximum penalties. Violating a Civil Restraining Order (CGS 46b-15) is prosecuted under CGS 53a-223b as a class D felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison, not merely a misdemeanor. This makes Connecticut's penalty structure among the more serious in the country.
Under CGS 53a-223b, that charge is elevated to a class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, when the violation involves (a) restraining the person or liberty of the protected person, or (b) threatening, harassing, assaulting, molesting, sexually assaulting, or attacking the protected person. The class C upgrade tracks the most serious forms of direct contact and physical domination; it does not require a separate finding of physical injury or weapon use. Violating a Civil Protection Order (CGS 46b-16a) is prosecuted under the separate statute CGS 53a-223c, which caps at a class D felony (up to 5 years) with no class C escalation tier.
Any violation of the order can also be treated as contempt of court, which carries its own separate penalties.
If the respondent violates your order, call 911 immediately. Police in Connecticut can arrest a respondent on probable cause that they violated the order, without needing to witness the violation themselves. Report every violation, even if it seems minor. A documented pattern of violations strengthens enforcement and supports any future motion to extend or modify the order.
This article is general legal information, not legal advice, and it is not a safety plan. Protective-order rules vary by state and change. If you are in danger, call 911. For help with your specific situation, contact your local court's self-help center, a domestic-violence advocate, or a licensed attorney.
Related
For more context on Connecticut's broader legal framework, see the main Restraining Order Laws by State hub for a full 50-state comparison. If you are documenting threatening communications as evidence, Connecticut's recording law page explains when you may record calls or conversations in the state.
More Connecticut Laws
- Connecticut Child Custody Laws
- Connecticut Divorce Laws
- Connecticut GPS Tracking Laws
- Connecticut Self-Defense Laws
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a restraining order in Connecticut?
File a petition in the Superior Court Family Part in the judicial district where you or the respondent lives. For family or household members, use the Civil Restraining Order form under CGS 46b-15. For sexual abuse, sexual assault, or stalking by someone you cannot seek a 46b-15 order against, use the Civil Protection Order form under CGS 46b-16a. Court self-help centers provide forms and can assist you. If your application alleges an immediate and present physical danger, the judge may also issue an emergency ex parte order, but that relief is discretionary and is not guaranteed.
Can I get a Connecticut restraining order without physical violence?
Yes. Since Jennifer's Law took effect in 2021, CGS 46b-15 is available to a family or household member who is the victim of domestic violence as defined in CGS 46b-1, and that definition covers a continuous threat of present physical pain or physical injury, stalking, a pattern of threatening, and coercive control. Coercive control is a pattern of behavior that unreasonably interferes with your free will and personal liberty, and the statute names examples such as isolating you from friends and family, withholding basic necessities, controlling your movements, communications, or finances, threats based on your immigration status, cruelty to animals used to intimidate you, and forced sex acts or sexual threats. None of these requires that you were struck or injured.
How long does a restraining order last in Connecticut?
An emergency ex parte order lasts until the hearing. The court must order the hearing to be held not later than 14 days from the date of its order, except that the hearing must be held within 7 days of the ex parte order if the application indicates the respondent holds a pistol permit, an eligibility certificate, a long gun eligibility certificate, or an ammunition certificate, or possesses firearms or ammunition. A final Civil Restraining Order or Civil Protection Order lasts up to 1 year. You can file a motion before it expires asking the court to extend it for additional time as necessary.
How much does a restraining order cost in Connecticut?
Filing a Civil Restraining Order for domestic violence is free to the petitioner. Under the federal Violence Against Women Act, courts cannot charge a filing fee or service fee for a domestic-violence protective order. The Connecticut Judicial Branch covers the cost of serving the respondent.
Can I get a restraining order without a police report?
Yes. A police report is not required to file a civil restraining order petition in Connecticut. You file directly with the Superior Court. If you have documentation such as text messages, photos, or witness statements, bring them to support your petition, but they are not a prerequisite for filing.
Does a restraining order take away gun rights in Connecticut?
In many cases yes, and the duty can arise without a separate court order. Under CGS 29-36k(b), a person who knows he or she is subject to a restraining or protective order issued after notice, in a case involving the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force, must within 24 hours either sell all firearms and ammunition to a federally licensed dealer or surrender them to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, which a local police department may accept on the Commissioner's behalf. Possessing firearms or ammunition after that is criminal possession of a firearm under CGS 53a-217(a)(4), a class C felony. A court may also order surrender of firearms, permits, and eligibility certificates, and notifies DESPP. A qualifying final order separately triggers the federal ban under 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(8).
What happens if the abuser violates the order?
Violating a Civil Restraining Order (CGS 46b-15) is a class D felony under CGS 53a-223b (up to 5 years), rising to a class C felony (up to 10 years) when the violation involves restraining the person or liberty of the protected person, or threatening, harassing, assaulting, molesting, sexually assaulting, or attacking them. Violating a Civil Protection Order (CGS 46b-16a) is a class D felony only (up to 5 years) under the separate statute CGS 53a-223c, with no class C tier. Call 911 immediately if the order is violated. Police can arrest on probable cause without a warrant. Report every violation to police and to the court.
What is the difference between a Civil Restraining Order and a Civil Protection Order in Connecticut?
A Civil Restraining Order (CGS 46b-15) requires a family or household relationship (spouses, former spouses, co-parents, people who have lived together, and dating partners) and requires that you be the victim of domestic violence as defined in CGS 46b-1. A Civil Protection Order (CGS 46b-16a) covers victims of sexual abuse, sexual assault, or stalking with no relationship requirement, but only if you have not obtained another court order of protection arising out of the same conduct and do not qualify to seek relief under CGS 46b-15. The two also carry different maximum penalties for violations: a Civil Restraining Order violation under CGS 53a-223b can reach a class C felony (up to 10 years) for the most serious conduct, while a Civil Protection Order violation under the separate CGS 53a-223c is a class D felony only (up to 5 years), with no class C tier.
Updates
Updated Connecticut's restraining-order eligibility to the current CGS 46b-1 domestic violence standard, which since Jennifer's Law includes stalking, a pattern of threatening and coercive control, and corrected the ex parte, hearing-deadline, Civil Protection Order and firearms-surrender rules against the statutes.
Corrected the scope of Connecticut's Civil Protection Order (CGS 46b-16a): it covers victims of sexual abuse, sexual assault, or stalking, not a freestanding 'harassment' ground, and added the previously omitted 'sexual abuse' ground.
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources; governing law re-checked for recent changes
Corrected a false claim that Connecticut's Civil Restraining Order (CGS 46b-15) and Civil Protection Order (CGS 46b-16a) carry the same violation penalty. They do not: CGS 53a-223b (restraining-order violations) escalates to a class C felony (up to 10 years) for serious conduct, while CGS 53a-223c (the separate statute governing civil-protection-order violations) caps at a class D felony (up to 5 years) with no class C tier.
Governing law re-checked for recent changes
Reviewed and approved by an editor
The Law Behind This Article
This article rests on the statutory provisions below, held in our own legal record and retrieved from the official source. Tap a section to read the operative text.
Connecticut General Statutes, Title 46b (Family Law), Chapter 815a
§ 46b-15Relief for victim of domestic violence. Application. Court orders. Duration. Service of application, affidavit, any ex parte order and notice of hearing. Copies. Expedited hearing for violation of order. Other remedies.In force
(a) Any family or household member, as defined in section 46b-38a, who is the victim of domestic violence, as defined in section 46b-1, by another family or household member may make an application to the Superior Court for relief under this section. The court shall provide any person who applies for relief under this section with the information set forth in section 46b-15b. (b) The application form shall allow the applicant, at the applicant's option, to indicate whether the respondent holds a permit to carry a pistol or revolver, an eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver, a long gun eligibility certificate or an ammunition certificate or possesses one or more firearms or ammunition. The application shall be accompanied by an affidavit made under oath which includes a brief statement of the conditions from which relief is sought.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-08 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at cga.ct.gov
§ 46b-16aIssuance of civil protection order on behalf of person who has been victim of sexual abuse, sexual assault or stalking. Application. Hearing. Court orders. Duration. Notice. Other remedies.In forcecited in 2 of our articles
(a) Any person who has been the victim of sexual abuse, sexual assault or stalking may make an application to the Superior Court for relief under this section, provided such person has not obtained any other court order of protection arising out of such abuse, assault or stalking and does not qualify to seek relief under section 46b-15. As used in this section, “stalking” means two or more wilful acts, performed in a threatening, predatory or disturbing manner of: Harassing, following, lying in wait for, surveilling, monitoring or sending unwanted gifts or messages to another person directly, indirectly or through a third person, by any method, device or other means, that causes such person to reasonably fear for his or her physical safety. (b) The application shall be accompanied by an affidavit made by the applicant under oath that includes a statement of the specific facts that form the basis for relief.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at cga.ct.gov
Cited in 19 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- S. A. v. D. G. (Connecticut Appellate Court 2020, 198 Conn. App. 170)“…l Statutes § 46b-15 (family vio- lence restraining orders); General Statutes § 46b-16a (civil protection orders); General Stat…”
- Sabrina C. v. Fortin (Connecticut Appellate Court 2017, 176 Conn. App. 730)“…an application for an order of civil protection pursuant to General Statutes § 46b-16a,1 alleging that the defendant had sexua…”
- S. S. v. D. M. (Connecticut Appellate Court 2024, 228 Conn. App. 559)“…l protection for the plaintiff, S. S., pursu- ant to General Statutes § 46b-16a1 on the basis of stalk- ing. On…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Connecticut GPS Tracking Laws: Is It Legal to Put a Tracker on a Car? (2026)
Connecticut General Statutes, Title 53a (Penal Code), Chapter 952
§ 53a-223bCriminal violation of a restraining order: Class D or class C felony.In force
(a) A person is guilty of criminal violation of a restraining order when (1) (A) a restraining order has been issued against such person pursuant to section 46b-15, or (B) a foreign order of protection, as defined in section 46b-15a, has been issued against such person in a case involving the use, attempted use or threatened use of physical force against another, and (2) such person, having knowledge of the terms of the order, (A) does not stay away from a person or place in violation of the order, (B) contacts a person in violation of the order, (C) imposes any restraint upon the person or liberty of a person in violation of the order, or (D) threatens, harasses, assaults, molests, sexually assaults or attacks a person in violation of the order. (b) No person who is listed as a protected person in such restraining order or foreign order of protection may be criminally liable for (1) soliciting, requesting, commanding, importuning or intentionally aiding in the violation of the restraining order or foreign order of protection pursuant to subsection (a) of section 53a-8, or (2) conspiracy to violate such restraining order or foreign order of protection pursuant to section 53a-48.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at cga.ct.gov
Cited in 11 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2022
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- State v. Elmer G. (Supreme Court of Connecticut 2019, 333 Conn. 176)“…f criminal violation of a restraining order in violation of General Statutes § 53a-223b.1 The Appellate Court upheld his convic…”
- State v. Kantorowski (Connecticut Appellate Court 2013, 144 Conn. App. 477)“…10-391835, of violating a restraining order in violation of General Statutes § 53a-223b, harassment in the second degree in vio…”
- Dennis v. Commissioner of Correction (Connecticut Appellate Court 2012, 134 Conn. App. 520)“…s criminal violation of a restraining order in violation of General Statutes § 53a-223b. 4 The facts of th…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 53a-223cCriminal violation of a civil protection order: Class D felony.In force
(a) A person is guilty of criminal violation of a civil protection order when (1) a civil protection order has been issued against such person pursuant to section 46b-16a, and (2) such person, having knowledge of the terms of the order, violates such order. (b) No person who is listed as a respondent in a civil protection order issued pursuant to section 46b-16a may be criminally liable for a violation of such order if such person causes a legal document to be served on the protected person by mail or through a third party in accordance with the law. For purposes of this subsection, “legal document” includes, but is not limited to, a notice of appearance or any other application, petition, or motion filed in good faith by such person in connection with any pending court matter, or in any court matter that may be brought subsequently. (c) Criminal violation of a civil protection order is a class D felony.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at cga.ct.gov
Cited in 1 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2023
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- Callahan v. New Haven (District Court, D. Connecticut 2023)“…McCrea in violation of a Connecticut criminal statute, see Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-223c.49 Even if Callahan had exchanged benig…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
§ 53a-217Criminal possession of a firearm, ammunition or an electronic defense weapon: Class C felony.In forcecited in 2 of our articles
(a) A person is guilty of criminal possession of a firearm, ammunition or an electronic defense weapon when such person possesses a firearm, ammunition or an electronic defense weapon and (1) has been convicted of (A) a felony committed prior to, on or after October 1, 2013, (B) a misdemeanor violation of section 21a-279 on or after October 1, 2015, (C) a misdemeanor violation of section 53a-58, 53a-61, 53a-61a, 53a-62, 53a-63, 53a-96, 53a-175, 53a-176, 53a-178 or 53a-181d committed on or after October 1, 2013, and during the preceding twenty years, or (D) a misdemeanor violation of any law of this state that has been designated as a family violence crime pursuant to section 46b-38h and was committed on or after October 1, 2023, (2) has been convicted as delinquent for the commission of a serious juvenile offense, as defined in section 46b-120, (3) has been discharged from custody within the preceding twenty years after having been found not guilty of a crime by reason of mental disease or defect pursuant to section 53a-13, (4) knows that such person is subject to (A) a restraining or protective order of a court of this state that has been issued against such person, after notice…
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at cga.ct.gov
Cited in 306 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- State v. Jones (Supreme Court of Connecticut 1995, 234 Conn. 324)“…ession of a firearm by a person convicted of a felony under General Statutes § 53a-217, the bifurcation procedure should have…”
- State v. Carpenter (Connecticut Appellate Court 1989, 19 Conn. App. 48)“…charge was criminal possession of a pistol in violation of General Statutes § 53a-217. The defendant principally relies upo…”
- State v. Banta (Connecticut Appellate Court 1988, 15 Conn. App. 161)“…(a) (4) and criminal possession of a pistol in violation of General Statutes § 53a-217 (a). Both defendants were found guilty…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Connecticut Pepper Spray and Stun Gun Laws (2026)
United States Code Title 18
§ 922Unlawful actsIn forcecited in 72 of our articles
It shall be unlawful— for any person— except a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, or licensed dealer, to engage in the business of importing, manufacturing, or dealing in firearms, or in the course of such business to ship, transport, or receive any firearm in interstate or foreign commerce; or except a licensed importer or licensed manufacturer, to engage in the business of importing or manufacturing ammunition, or in the course of such business, to ship, transport, or receive any ammunition in interstate or foreign commerce; for any importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector licensed under the provisions of this chapter to ship or transport in interstate or foreign commerce any firearm to any person other than a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector, except that— this paragraph and subsection (b)(3) shall not be held to preclude a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector from returning a firearm or replacement firearm of the same kind and type to a person from whom it was received; and this paragraph shall not be held to preclude an individual from mailing a firearm owned in compliance…
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-09-16 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at uscode.house.gov
Cited in 40,024 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2026
In the courts (editorial summary, independently checked):Section 922(g)(1) bars a felon from possessing a firearm, and the Supreme Court cases in this line turn on sentencing, not on the ban. Taylor v. United States (1990) and Shepard v. United States (2005) held that whether prior convictions enhance a 922(g) sentence under 924(e) is decided from offense elements and limited plea records.
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- United States v. Booker (Supreme Court of the United States 2004, 543 U.S. 220)“…e Johnson with one crime (say, illegal gun possession, see 18 U. S. C. § 922 (g)) and Jackson with another (say, ban…”
- Almendarez-Torres v. United States (Supreme Court of the United States 1998, 523 U.S. 224)“…cidivism an offense element in such circumstances. But cf. 18 U. S. C. § 922 (g)(1) (prior felony conviction an elem…”
- Taylor v. United States (Supreme Court of the United States 1990, 495 U.S. 575)✓Taylor pleaded guilty to felon-in-possession under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) and had two Missouri burglary convictions; the Court held that 'burglary' in the § 924(e) enhancement attached to a § 922(g) conviction means generic burglary judged by the prior statute's elements.
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Also relied on in: Can You Become an ICE Agent with a Criminal Record? (2026 Guide), How Long Does a Felony Stay on Your Record? (2026), Supreme Court Limits the Federal Gun Ban on Marijuana Users (Hemani, 2026)
Connecticut General Statutes, Title 54 (Criminal Procedure), Chapter 959
§ 54-1kIssuance of protective orders in cases of stalking, harassment, sexual assault, risk of injury to or impairing morals of a child.In force
(a) Upon the arrest of a person for a violation of subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of section 53-21, section 53a-70, 53a-70a, 53a-70c, 53a-71, 53a-72a, 53a-72b or 53a-73a, or any attempt thereof, or section 53a-181c, 53a-181d or 53a-181e, the court may issue a protective order pursuant to this section. Upon the arrest of a person for a violation of section 53a-182b or 53a-183, the court may issue a protective order pursuant to this section if it finds that such violation caused the victim to reasonably fear for his or her physical safety. Such order shall be an order of the court, and the clerk of the court shall cause (1) a copy of such order, or the information contained in such order, to be sent to the victim, and (2) a copy of such order, or the information contained in such order, to be sent by facsimile or other means not later than forty-eight hours after its issuance to the law enforcement agency or agencies for the town in which the victim resides, the town in which the victim is employed and the town in which the defendant resides.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at cga.ct.gov
Cited in 6 court opinions in our collectionLatest citing opinion in our collection: 2025
Opinions citing this section in our collection:
- S. A. v. D. G. (Connecticut Appellate Court 2020, 198 Conn. App. 170)“…for violating any of the statutory provisions set forth in General Statutes § 54-1k,2 (3) issued the protection order partl…”
- L. H.-S. v. N. B. (Supreme Court of Connecticut 2021, 341 Conn. 483)“…l Statutes § 53a-40e (standing criminal protective orders); General Statutes § 54-1k (criminal protective orders).6 As amend…”
- State v. Quint (Connecticut Appellate Court 2006, 97 Conn. App. 72)“…1995, No. 95-214, to include protective orders pursuant to General Statutes § 54-1k. Public Acts 1999, No. 99-240, a…”
Identified automatically from the court opinions citing this section — not a ranking of which case controls.
Connecticut General Statutes, Title 29 (Public Safety and State Police), Chapter 529
§ 29-36kTransfer, delivery or surrender of firearms or ammunition by persons ineligible to possess firearms or ammunition. Request for return of firearms or ammunition. Destruction of firearms or ammunition. Penalty.In force
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, not later than two business days after the occurrence of any event that makes a person ineligible to possess a pistol or revolver or other firearm or ammunition, such person shall (1) transfer in accordance with section 29-33 all pistols and revolvers which such person then possesses to any person eligible to possess a pistol or revolver and transfer in accordance with any applicable state and federal laws all other firearms to any person eligible to possess such other firearms by obtaining an authorization number for the sale or transfer of the firearm from the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, and submit a sale or transfer of firearms form to said commissioner within two business days, or (2) deliver or surrender such pistols and revolvers and other firearms and ammunition to the Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection, provided a local police department may accept such pistols, revolvers, other firearms and ammunition on behalf of said commissioner, or (3) transfer such ammunition to any person eligible to possess such ammunition.
Official text (excerpt) · last checked 2026-07-29 · Read the full text in our law library · Verify at cga.ct.gov
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Sources and References
- CGS Chapter 815a (Protective Orders, Restraining Orders and Stalking) - Connecticut General Assembly(cga.ct.gov).gov
- Connecticut Judicial Branch: Restraining Orders FAQ(jud.ct.gov).gov
- CGS 46b-1 - Family relations matters and family violence defined (definition of domestic violence, including coercive control) - Connecticut General Assembly(cga.ct.gov)
- CGS 29-36k - Transfer, delivery or surrender of firearms or ammunition by persons ineligible to possess firearms or ammunition - Connecticut General Assembly(cga.ct.gov)
- CGS 53a-217 - Criminal possession of a firearm, ammunition or an electronic defense weapon: Class C felony - Connecticut General Assembly(cga.ct.gov)