What are Bridgeport City Public Records?
According to Section 1-210 of the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act, the City of Bridgeport presumes all government information as public unless made confidential by law. Public records include arrest, court, and some vital records. Some examples of confidential records include:
- Records that invade privacy;
- Records compiled by law enforcement related to crime identification or prosecution, if publication would not be in the public’s interest;
- Test questions, keys for scoring tests, and other review data to administer a licensing, job, or academic exam;
- Privileged communication, such as those from attorney-client interaction, marriage, confessions to clergy, and interactions between patients and physicians or therapists;
- Records where there are valid reasons to assume that disclosure will lead to a security risk
Bridgeport City Crime Statistics
The Connecticut Department of Public Safety provides crime statistics for the City of Bridgeport. In 2017, the city recorded 4,731 crimes, a 7.5% increase from the previous year. Bridgeport's crime data in 2017 includes 21 murders, 77 rapes, 565 robberies, 652 aggravated assaults, 484 burglaries, 2,152 larcenies, 716 motor vehicle thefts, and 14 arsons.
In 2016, the city’s murder rate increased by more than 50%. The crime rate for the City of Bridgeport was 3,253.6 crimes per 100,000 persons, an 8% increase from the previous year.
Are Bridgeport City Criminal Records Public?
Criminal records are public records in Bridgeport, according to the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act. The Connecticut Department of Public Safety Bureau will release details on all criminal convictions, including pending information, upon request.
How to Obtain Bridgeport City Police Reports and Arrest Records?
Interested individuals should query the Bridgeport City Police Department Records Division for police reports and arrest records. The City Police charges fifty cents per side for a report and does not process phone requests.
People can also contact the office for background checks for a $1 fee per search. The requester will need to provide either a Connecticut driver's license, a green card, a Connecticut Motor Vehicle Department non-driver identification, or a valid passport.
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Bridgeport City
In Connecticut, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection is the statewide repository for Bridgeport City sex offenders. Since sex offender information is open to the public, people can access the Connecticut Sex Offender Registry online.
To search for sex offenders, the interested party can provide the offender's name, email address, and phone number. Alternatively, parties can search by selecting Bridgeport City on the registry’s drop-down menu and inputting the street address and zip code of interest in the provided section. It is also possible to search for non-compliant offenders in the city.
The state department also provides a Community Notification System that allows people to receive email updates on registered sex offenders.
How to Find Bridgeport City Inmate Records
One way to obtain inmate records is by contacting the Bridgeport City Correctional Facility’s information desk on (475) 225-8000 The record seeker should provide information on the inmate to obtain a record.
Alternatively, people can utilize the inmate search tool provided by the Connecticut Department of Correction to locate individuals incarcerated in this facility. Interested parties may conduct a search by name, inmate number, and date of birth. The search results will display the inmate's general information and indictment details.
How Do I Visit an inmate in Bridgeport City Jail?
The Bridgeport City Correctional Center houses inmates for the City of Bridgeport and Fairfield County. The facility, which the state government runs, permits two types of visits; regular and professional visits. Regular visits involve family and friends, while professional visits involve the inmate's attorney. Visiting hours depend on the inmate's dormitory and the kind of visit.
Inmates detained in the Bridgeport City Correctional Facility can receive up to two visitors, once per day, and for 30 minutes. Visitation occurs at the facility lobby located in:
1106 North Avenue
Bridgeport City, CT 06604
Phone: (475) 225-8000
Court Records
The Connecticut trial court system consists of two courts; the Superior Courts and Probate Courts. In total, there are four court locations in the city of Bridgeport.
Location of Bridgeport City Courts
Fairfield Judicial District
1061 Main Street
Bridgeport City, CT 06604
Phone: (203) 207-8600
Fax: (203) 207-8642
Geographical Area 2 at Bridgeport
172 Golden Hill Street
Bridgeport City, CT 06604
Phone: (203) 579-6568
Fax: (203) 382-8408
Phone: (203) 579-6562 (Small Claims)
Juvenile Matters and Detention Center at Bridgeport City
60 Housatonic Avenue
Bridgeport City, CT 06604
Phone: (203) 579-6544
Fax: (203) 382-8430
Bridgeport City Probate Court
Probate District 48
City Hall Annex
999 Broad Street
Bridgeport City, CT 06604
Phone: (203) 576-3945
Fax: (203) 576-7898
Are Bridgeport City Court Records Public?
Most Bridgeport City court records are public records, according to the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act. Desired records are often immediately available through the State of Connecticut’s Judicial Branch’s Website. Requests for records that are unavailable on the website get processed within two business days. Some records are considered confidential and are only accessible to the parties involved in the case. Some examples are:
- All records of juvenile prosecutions - Some exceptions apply. For instance, some records of juvenile criminal cases are made available to the victims of the crime.
- All records sealed by a judge until the sealing order expires. However, some material in the court records will remain open for public review where the sealing is partial sealing.
- All records automatically sealed by statute - Such as records and communications between a party and their therapist, social worker, battered women's or sexual assault counselor, surgeon, physician, psychologist, psychiatrist, or health care provider.
Some court records will be unavailable because court staff will erase them twenty days after the proceeding. These records include those from cases where:
- The Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles grants the defendant a full pardon;
- The law decriminalizes the offense for which the defendant faced conviction;
- The defendant was a youthful offender and has completely served the required time under the court’s supervision;
- The court dismisses the case or acquits the defendant;
Can you look up a Bridgeport court case online?
Court cases for the city of Bridgeport are available online. Interested parties can make use of the search service maintained by the State's Judicial Branch. The record seeker can use the state's civil, small claims, family, and housing search tool or the Criminal and Motor Vehicle Conviction search database to access court records.
How to Obtain Bridgeport City Civil Court Case Records
Members of the public can search for civil court cases using the Superior Court Case Look-Up site provided by the Connecticut Judicial Branch. Interested parties may search by name, docket number, attorney or firm Juris number, or property address.
Requesters also can request copies of Bridgeport City civil court records by directly contacting the Clerk’s Office of the Superior Court at Geographical Area Number 2, located at:
Bridgeport Superior Court
Clerk's Office
172 Golden Hill Street
Bridgeport City, CT 06604
Fax: (203) 382-8408
Tel: (203) 579-6560
Deputy Chief Clerk: Ext. 3946
Assistant Clerk: Ext. 3042
Deputy Clerk: Ext. 3041
Court Officer: Ext. 3034
Records: Ext. 3022
Court Reporter’s Ext. 7230
If the record existed previously, copies of civil trials’ transcripts are issued at $1.75 per page and $3.00 if not. As stated in C.G.S. §51-63(c), the same copies cost only 75 cents per page for previously created documents and $2.00 per page for new requests submitted by authorized agencies and state officials. For expediting transcript copies, additional charges apply. It costs $1.00 per page for other court case papers, while administrative records cost 25 cents per page.
How to Obtain Bridgeport City Criminal Court Records
The Connecticut Judicial Branch provides an online search repository for pending and completed criminal court case records. Interested individuals can search by giving the last name, initials, and birth year of the defendant and the year range and court location.
Requesters can apply for copies of Bridgeport City criminal court records by contacting the Superior Court located at:
Geographical Area Number 2 Superior Court
Clerk's Office
172 Golden Hill Street
Bridgeport City, CT 06604
Fax: (203) 382-8408
Tel: (203) 579-6560
Deputy Chief Clerk: Ext. 3946
Assistant Clerk: Ext. 3042
Deputy Clerk: Ext. 3041
Court Officer: Ext. 3034
Records: Ext. 3022
Court Reporter’s Ext. 7230
Copies of transcripts of court proceedings are processed at $1.75 per page if the record previously existed and $3.00 if it did not. The same copies cost only 75 cents per page for once-created documents and $2.00 per page for new requests made by approved entities and state officials as mentioned in C.G.S. §51-63(c). Additional fees apply for expediting transcript copies. Other court case documents cost $1.00 per page, while administrative records cost 25 cents per page.
What are Bridgeport City Vital Records?
Bridgeport vital records are government-generated documents that provide information on vital events that happened in the city. Examples of these documents include birth, death, marriage, and divorce records. To a large extent, vital records are open to the public. However, a court may seal a vital record or portions of it, citing confidentiality.
Bridgeport City vital records are under the supervision of the Connecticut State Department of Public Health. The city clerk in Bridgeport also keeps vital records. Both offices provide vital records on demand.
Where and How to Obtain Bridgeport City Divorce Records
Interested parties may look up Bridgeport City divorce records via the Case Lookup portal provided by the Connecticut Judicial Branch. Requesters may also obtain copies of Divorce Decrees and Dissolution of Civil Union records by contacting the Judicial District Clerk’s Office in Bridgeport City. The location and contact information of the Clerk's office is:
Fairfield Judicial District
1061 Main Street
Bridgeport City, CT 06604
Phone: (203) 207-8600
Fax: (203) 207-8642
The Clerk will request information such as the divorcee’s name, the record's docket number, and the date the divorce became finalized. The fee for copying a divorce record is $1 per page, while certification costs $2 per copy under seal.
Where and How to Get Public Bridgeport City Marriage Records
The Connecticut Vital Records Office maintains marriage or civil union records for Bridgeport City. The state office charges $20 per certified copy only accessible by persons 18 years or older. Applicants may submit requests online, via phone, in person, or by mail.
A State Marriage, State Civil Union, or Town Marriage Certificate form should be completed and sent together with the required fees to either the Vital Records Office in Hartford or the local office in Bridgeport City:
Connecticut Department of Public Health
Vital Records Section
Customer Services, MS#11VRS
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308
Assistant Registrar/Manager
Vital Records
999 Broad Street
1st Floor
Bridgeport City, CT 06604
Phone: (203) 576-7476
Fax: (203) 332-5633
Where and How to Get Confidential Marriage Records in Bridgeport City
Marriage records are public in Bridgeport City under the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act. Anyone can access the information in these records except for a few exceptions. For example, social security numbers in marriage records are unavailable to any party except legally authorized federal and state agencies.
Where and How to Find Bridgeport City Birth Records
Bridgeport birth certificates are obtainable from the Bridgeport Town Vital Records Office or the Connecticut Vital Records Office. Certified copies of a birth record issued by the Town Office costs $20, while state-issued certificates cost $30 per copy.
Applicants are to download and complete a State Birth Records form or a Town Birth Records Form and provide an acceptable valid ID. Both offices process online, phone, mail, and walk-in requests.
Connecticut Department of Public Health
Vital Records Section
Customer Services, MS#11VRS
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308
Assistant Registrar/Manager
Vital Records
999 Broad Street
1st Floor
Bridgeport City, CT 06604
Phone: (203) 576-7476
Fax: (203) 332-5633
Where and How to Find Bridgeport City Death Records
The Connecticut Vital Records Office and the Bridgeport Town Vital Records Office provide death records on request. Both offices charge $20 per certified copy and process copies online, by phone, mail, or person. Interested parties should fill in the required information on a State Death Record Application or Town Death Record Application and submit to any of the two offices at:
Connecticut Department of Public Health
Vital Records Section
Customer Services, MS#11VRS
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308
Assistant Registrar/Manager
Vital Records
999 Broad Street
1st Floor
Bridgeport City, CT 06604
Phone: (203) 576-7476
Fax: (203) 332-5633
