Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-95 (2026)

Unlawful restraint in the first degree: Class D felony

✓ current as of May 2026
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(a) A person is guilty of unlawful restraint in the first degree when he restrains another person under circumstances which expose such other person to a substantial risk of physical injury.

(b) Unlawful restraint in the first degree is a class D felony.

(1969, P.A. 828, S. 97; P.A. 92-260, S. 38.)

History: P.A. 92-260 amended Subsec. (a) to replace “the latter” with “such other person”.

Cited. 171 C. 395; 182 C. 353; Id., 366; 187 C. 216; Id., 348; 191 C. 604; 194 C. 297; 195 C. 253; 197 C. 298; Id., 309; 198 C. 430; 199 C. 193; 200 C. 9; 201 C. 659; 202 C. 676; 205 C. 352; 220 C. 112; 222 C. 331; 223 C. 180; 224 C. 397; 226 C. 601; 236 C. 112; 237 C. 284; 242 C. 689. Because an unlawful restraint involves the restriction of another person's movements with the intent to interfere substantially with that person's liberty, the crime of unlawful restraint is a specific intent crime. 287 C. 509.

Cited. 3 CA 374; 5 CA 424; Id., 586; 6 CA 334; 7 CA 701; 8 CA 620; 9 CA 631; judgment reversed, see 205 C. 352; 10 CA 217; 13 CA 554; 17 CA 234. Specific intent required. Id, 339. Cited. Id., 391; Id., 490; 22 CA 477; 28 CA 581; judgment reversed, see 226 C. 601; 31 CA 20; Id., 312; 36 CA 805; 40 CA 553; 41 CA 701; 42 CA 78; Id., 445; 43 CA 715; 46 CA 486. Immediate flight of victim demonstrates absence of restraint by defendant. 140 CA 393.

Cited. 43 CS 211.

Subsec. (a):

Cited. 174 C. 500; 176 C. 227; 179 C. 381; 185 C. 211; 186 C. 599; 190 C. 104; 197 C. 50; Id., 602; 198 C. 598; Id., 617; 205 C. 39; Id., 61; Id., 437; Id., 528; 206 C. 40; 209 C. 143; 222 C. 87; 227 C. 32; Id., 153; 241 C. 784; 242 C. 523.

Cited. 6 CA 697; 8 CA 387; Id., 491; Id., 566; 9 CA 79; Id., 208; 13 CA 667; 14 CA 710; 18 CA 134; Id., 730; 19 CA 631; 21 CA 244; Id., 467; 25 CA 725; 26 CA 574; Id., 641; 32 CA 178; 38 CA 531; Id., 777; 39 CA 45; Id., 789; Id., 832; 41 CA 255; Id., 817. Conviction of both sexual assault and unlawful restraint is not double jeopardy. 47 CA 117.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 265 cases (19 in the last 5 years), 1976–2025 · leading case: State v. Salamon, 949 A.2d 1092 (Conn. 2008).
State v. Salamon, 949 A.2d 1092 (Conn. 2008). · cites it 36× “A jury found the defendant, Scott Salamon, guilty of one count each of the crimes of kidnapping in the second degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-94, [1] unlawful restraint in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-95, [2] and risk of injury to a child…”
State v. Kitchens, 10 A.3d 942 (Conn. 2011). · cites it 18× “The defendant, Marvin Kitchens, appeals [1] from the judgment of conviction, *947 rendered after a jury trial, of kidnapping in the second degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-94 (a) [2] and unlawful restraint in the first degree in violation of General Statutes §…”
State v. Youngs, 904 A.2d 1240 (Conn. App. Ct. 2006). · cites it 27× “Youngs, appeals from the judgment of conviction, rendered after a jury trial, of unlawful restraint in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-95 (a) and criminal violation of a protective order in violation of General Statutes § 53a-223.”
State v. Palmer, 536 A.2d 936 (Conn. 1988). · cites it 10× “By three separate indictments and amended informations, the defendant, Edward Palmer, was charged with the following crimes: three counts of kidnapping in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-92 (a) (2) (A); 1 three counts of unlawful restraint in the first…”
State v. DeJesus, 953 A.2d 45 (Conn. 2008). · cites it 4× “Ultimately, the defendant was charged with kidnapping in the second degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-94, unlawful restraint in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-95, and risk of injury to a child in violation of General Statutes (Rev.”
United States v. Davis, 139 S. Ct. 2319 (2019). “Code § 5-11-103(a) (2013) ("substantial risk of serious physical injury"); Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-95(a) (2017) ("substantial risk of physical injury"); Tex.”
State v. Williams, 162 A.3d 84 (Conn. App. Ct. 2017). · cites it 6× “The defendant, Charles Williams, appeals from the judgment of conviction, rendered after a jury trial, of one count of unlawful restraint in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-95. The jury found the defendant not guilty of two counts of sexual assault in the…”
State v. James G., 844 A.2d 810 (Conn. 2004). · cites it 4× “After K had reported the alleged abuse in 1994, the defendant was arrested and charged with unlawful restraint in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-95 (a) 10 in connection with his abuse of K.”
State v. Pauling, 925 A.2d 1200 (Conn. App. Ct. 2007). · cites it 6× “The defendant, Anthony Pauling, appeals from the judgment of conviction rendered after a jury trial, of unlawful restraint in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-95 (a), assault in the third degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-61 (a) (1), failure to…”
State v. Cutler, 977 A.2d 209 (Conn. 2009). · cites it 5× “2 The defendant claims on appeal that the trial court improperly: (1) admitted certain prior misconduct evidence after concluding that its probative value outweighed its prejudicial effect; (2) declined to instruct the jury to apply a preponderance of the evidence standard to…”
State v. TOMAS D., 995 A.2d 583 (Conn. 2010). · cites it 6× “, appeals 3 from the judgment of the trial court, rendered after a jury trial, convicting him of sexual assault in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-70 (a) (2), 4 unlawful restraint in the first degree in violation of General Statutes § 53a-95 (a), 5 and…”
State v. Cotton, 825 A.2d 189 (Conn. App. Ct. 2003). · cites it 6× “” General Statutes § 53a-95 (a) provides: “A person is guilty of unlawful restraint in the first degree when he restrains another person under circumstances which expose such other person to a substantial risk of physical injury.”
— Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-95(a) — 6 cases
United States v. Davis, 139 S. Ct. 2319 (2019). “Code § 5-11-103(a) (2013) ("substantial risk of serious physical injury"); Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-95(a) (2017) ("substantial risk of physical injury"); Tex.”
State v. Thomas, 173 A.3d 430 (Conn. App. Ct. 2017).
State v. Elson, 975 A.2d 678 (Conn. App. Ct. 2009).
State v. Rice, 142 A.3d 1267 (Conn. App. Ct. 2016).
State v. Jason B., 170 A.3d 139 (Conn. App. Ct. 2017).
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