Sec. 52-259b. Waiver of fees and payment of the cost of service of process for indigent party.
Sec. 52-259b. Waiver of fees and payment of the cost of service of process for
indigent party. (a) In any civil or criminal matter, if the court finds that a party is
indigent and unable to pay a fee or fees payable to the court or to pay the cost of service
of process, the court shall waive such fee or fees and the cost of service of process shall
be paid by the state.
(b) There shall be a rebuttable presumption that a person is indigent and unable to
pay a fee or fees or the cost of service of process if (1) such person receives public
assistance or (2) such person's income after taxes, mandatory wage deductions and child
care expenses is one hundred twenty-five per cent or less of the federal poverty level.
For purposes of this subsection, "public assistance" includes, but is not limited to, state-administered general assistance, temporary family assistance, aid to the aged, blind and
disabled, food stamps and Supplemental Security Income.
(c) Nothing in this section shall preclude the court from finding that a person whose
income does not meet the criteria of subsection (b) of this section is indigent and unable
to pay a fee or fees or the cost of service of process. If an application for the waiver of
the payment of a fee or fees or the cost of service of process is denied, the court clerk
shall, upon the request of the applicant, schedule a hearing on the application.
(Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 81-4, S. 28, 32; P.A. 82-325, S. 3, 7; P.A. 90-261, S. 14, 19; P.A. 99-119; P.A. 04-76, S. 40.)
History: P.A. 82-325 changed effective date of Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 81-4 but without affecting this section; P.A. 90-261 made provisions of section applicable "In any civil or criminal matter"; P.A. 99-119 designated existing provisions
as Subsec. (a), added Subsec. (b) establishing a rebuttable presumption of indigency if certain criteria are met, and added
Subsec. (c) providing that nothing precludes a court from finding a person whose income does not meet such criteria is
indigent and requiring the court clerk upon the applicant's request to schedule a hearing on an application for a fee waiver
that has been denied; P.A. 04-76 amended Subsec. (b) by deleting reference to "general assistance".