A nolle prosequi is a prosecutorial decision not to proceed with a charge at that time. It is not the same procedural event as an immediate dismissal.
The prosecutor is declining to prosecute the charge at that point. The legal effect and record consequences should be evaluated under Connecticut law and the facts of the case.
Under General Statutes § 54-142a(c), when a criminal charge has been nolled and at least thirteen months have elapsed, the police, court, and prosecutorial records pertaining to that charge are erased, subject to the statute’s terms and any unusual procedural circumstance that requires separate review.
Primary source reviewed August 20, 2026: General Statutes § 54-142a.
Clients often use “dropped,” “dismissed,” and “nolled” interchangeably. They can have different procedural meanings, so the docket disposition should be checked rather than assumed.
We start with the actual charging documents, police reports, available recordings, court orders, witness information, and the timeline—not simply the label placed on the case. The legal question is only one part of the defense. We also examine what the evidence can prove, what evidence can lawfully be used, and what information about the client and the surrounding circumstances may matter to the way the case is handled.
What exactly is the State alleging? What evidence supports each required element? Is there video, audio, digital, medical, forensic, or third-party evidence that should be preserved? Were statements obtained? Was there a search or seizure? Are there release conditions or court orders that create immediate obligations? Answering those questions early helps turn a broad accusation into specific issues that can be investigated and challenged.
Do not delete messages, photographs, location information, call logs, social-media material, receipts, video, or other potentially relevant evidence. Preserve documents and identify witnesses while events are still fresh. At the same time, do not contact a protected person or violate a court order in an effort to gather evidence.
When the State enters a nolle prosequi, it declines to continue prosecuting the charge at that time. Connecticut’s erasure statute generally provides for erasure after the statutory period if the charge is not revived. That distinction matters when a client is asking whether the case is over, what appears on a record in the meantime, and when the record is legally erased.
A nolle may result from evidentiary problems, witness issues, completion of an agreed condition, prosecutorial discretion, or other circumstances. Understanding why it was entered can matter if there are related charges, protective orders, employment questions, licensing issues, or a possibility of further proceedings. We also distinguish a nolle from a dismissal or acquittal because those dispositions can have different timing and procedural consequences.