Sec. 52-145. Certain witnesses not disqualified. Credibility.
Sec. 52-145. Certain witnesses not disqualified. Credibility. (a) A person shall
not be disqualified as a witness in any action because of, (1) his interest in the outcome
of the action as a party or otherwise, (2) his disbelief in the existence of a supreme being,
or (3) his conviction of crime.
(b) A person's interest in the outcome of the action or his conviction of crime may
be shown for the purpose of affecting his credibility.
(1949 Rev., S. 7868; P.A. 82-160, S. 61.)
History: P.A. 82-160 rephrased the section and inserted Subsec. indicators.
Wife may testify for husband. 3 D. 57; 20 C. 354. The conviction must be of an infamous crime; a petty offense is not
sufficient. 57 C. 432; 104 C. 124. Record of a judgment of conviction vacated by appeal is insufficient. 57 C. 432. Cited.
58 C. 64. Particular instances of untruthfulness inadmissible to affect credit of witness. 72 C. 204. Attorney trying case
cannot ordinarily be witness therein; Id., 437; 80 C. 531; 81 C. 350; otherwise, if he is also a party; 68 C. 206; 85 C. 211;
and he may be called by adverse party. 81 C. 344. Insolvent debtor may testify as to knowledge of insolvency when transfer
was made. 75 C. 17. Incapacity to manage his affairs does not disqualify witness. 76 C. 406. Where accused becomes
witness for himself, usual rules as to attacking credit apply. 67 C. 290; 76 C. 94; 87 C. 22; 89 C. 417. Evidence of arrest
alone not sufficient. 76 C. 92; 86 C. 262. Party to action is ordinarily competent. 79 C. 478. Members of a commission
may testify as to proceedings before it; 75 C. 248; 76 C. 567; so judge, as to claims of law made on trial. 82 C. 51. Evidence
that witness has incurred expenses which he must pay if party producing him loses is admissible. 74 C. 555. Nature of
crimes conviction of which may be shown. 95 C. 501; 104 C. 124; Id., 264; 106 C. 350. When a child is competent. 100
C. 570. Improper reference to this statute held cured by instruction of judge. 108 C. 192. Statement of witness that he has
scruples against taking oath must be taken as true; belief in supreme being does not destroy witness's right to take affirmation
instead of oath. 109 C. 712. Purpose of statute to remove common law disqualification of witness because of conviction
of crime. 121 C. 678. For purpose of affecting credibility conviction of crime may be shown by questions on cross-examination. Id.; 132 C. 574; Overruling 72 C. 205 and 97 C. 452. Owner is competent witness to location of bounds and
occupancy of own land when within his personal knowledge. 125 C. 333. Where plaintiff administrator was questioned
on direct as to decedent's health and financial standing, question on cross as to whether he expected to share in recovery
in case was proper. 131 C. 515. Cited. 136 C. 106. Fact that conviction was ten years before went to weight not to admissibility. 137 C. 140. Conviction of section 53-246 "intoxication" is not infamous crime to attack credibility of a witness. 140
C. 39. Cited. 149 C. 125. A plea of guilty by one of several persons charged with a crime can be no more than hearsay as
to others so charged. Therefore, while the plea may be used to attack the credibility of the one so pleading if he testifies
as a witness for or against the others, it is not admissible on the trial of the others to establish that the crime was committed.
150 C. 195. The conviction of a crime, whether or not denominated a felony by statute, is admissible in evidence to affect
credibility under this section only if the maximum permissible penalty for the crime may be imprisonment for more than
one year, and the presence or absence of moral turpitude is not a consideration affecting the admissibility. 152 C. 472.
Where defendant chose to take stand on his own behalf, question on cross-examination as to prior conviction was properly
asked of him in his capacity as a witness, but court does not consider whether defendant could raise his constitutional
privilege against compulsory self-incrimination. 153 C. 30. In same case, use of defendant's answer, over his objection,
in second part of information, brought under habitual criminal statute, was a violation of his constitutional privilege against
compulsory self-incrimination. Id., 34, 35. Cited. Id., 208;. Cited. 154 C. 68, 74. Writ, summons and complaint in another
action brought by plaintiff admissible to affect credibility insofar as testimony in present action is inconsistent with prior
claim. On redirect plaintiff should be allowed to show extent of his knowledge of allegations in prior writ. 155 C. 197.
Cited. 158 C. 156. Where statement of witness was offered to show bias against defendant, it was properly excluded where
it related to criminal activity of witness for which he had not been convicted. Id., 536. Judge's discretion to exclude evidence
as prejudicial. 160 C. 47. Court's instructions to jury as to historic common law background and purpose of statute does
not raise any federal constitutional questions. Id., 171, 175. Cited. Id., 378. Impeachment of witness on the basis of
misconduct accomplished only by proof of felony convictions. 164 C. 145. Specific acts of misconduct to show lack of
veracity cannot be shown by extrinsic evidence. Id. Cited. 165 C. 559. Cited. 166 C. 226, 230. Cited re constitutional
separation of powers (dissent). Id., 501. Credibility of a witness may be impeached by proof of convictions of crimes for
which imprisonment may be more than one year. 167 C. 539. Cited. 182 C. 207. Cited. 185 C. 372. Cited. 186 C. 654.
Cited. 187 C. 513. Cited. 188 C. 259; Id., 515. Cited. 189 C. 631. Cited. 190 C. 20. Prudent course where trial court faced
with decision on admission as evidence of credibility prior convictions for crimes not directly reflecting on credibility is
to allow prosecution to mention that defendant was convicted of unspecified crime or crimes carrying a penalty of more
than one year. 194 C. 1. Cited. Id., 297. Where a prior charge resulted in a determination that defendant was a youthful
offender and not in a criminal conviction, it was not admissible for impeachment purposes under the statute. 196 C. 122,
128. Cited. 198 C. 273. Cited. 201 C. 74. Cited. 202 C. 224. Cited. 210 C. 359. Cited. 211 C. 555. Cited. 227 C. 417; Id., 711.
Cited. 3 CA 684. Cited. 7 CA 217. Cited. 20 CA 6. Cited. 22 CA 610. Cited. 23 CA 479; Id., 692. Cited. 26 CA 157.
Cited. 38 CA 815.
Credit of witness may not be attacked by showing his conviction of a crime which is not infamous, that is, for which
maximum penalty cannot be more than six months in jail. 23 CS 294. Cited. 33 CS 586. Cited. 36 CS 89.
Conviction of crime of trespass inadmissible under this statute. 3 Conn. Cir. Ct. 391. Any question about previous
arrests is improper because statute allows questions about convictions only in establishing credibility and reputation of
witness. 6 Conn. Cir. Ct. 441.
Subsec. (a):
Cited. 198 C. 454.
Cited. 7 CA 601. Cited. 34 CA 823.
Subsec. (b):
Cited. 199 C. 255. Cited. 227 C. 389. Cited. 228 C. 412. Trial court abused discretion in barring evidence of victim's
prior felony conviction for larceny since outcome of case depended upon relative credibility of victim and defendant, and
state was allowed to impeach credibility of defendant with a prior felony conviction. 245 C. 351.
Cited. 3 CA 459. Cited. 6 CA 189. Cited. 7 CA 377; Id., 445, 451. Cited. 10 CA 71. Cited. 16 CA 346. Cited. 26 CA
758. Cited. 27 CA 279. Cited. 32 CA 773. Cited. 37 CA 722. Cited. 40 CA 151. Cited. 42 CA 810. Cited. 44 CA 280; Id.,
790. Cited. 45 CA 390. Cited. 46 CA 285.