Testimony of Deborah J. Fuller Judiciary Committee March 26, 2009

House Bill 6705, An Act Concerning Habeas Corpus Reform

Thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony, on behalf of the Judicial Branch, on House Bill 6705, An Act Concerning Habeas Corpus Reform.

The Judicial Branch is opposed to section 6 of the proposal, which would allow applications for a writ of habeas corpus claiming illegal confinement or deprivation of liberty by a prisoner confined in a correctional facility to be filed in the judicial district where the conviction, sentence or commitment being challenged was entered.  This would reverse a change that was made in 2003 to require all such habeas cases to be filed in the Judicial District of Tolland.  We believe that all such cases should continue to be filed at that location.  This would not preclude the hearings on these matters from being heard in the judicial district where the case was tried, which we are not opposed to. 

I urge the Committee not to act favorably on this section of the bill.

Thank you for your consideration.