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Recent Blog Posts
Trying a Juvenile as an Adult in Connecticut
Most of the time, when juveniles commit crimes, they are judged in juvenile court, which tends to be more focused on rehabilitation than punishment. However, some crimes are too severe to be handled in the juvenile system, and the law allows for these young offenders to be tried in adult criminal court. If this is happening to your child, you need to be aware of their rights and your options going forward.
Charging as an Adult Is for Serious Crimes
Most crimes committed by a juvenile are considered to be serious, but not serious enough to merit a life-changing criminal conviction. Thus, most juveniles who are arrested for crimes in Connecticut will have their case handled in juvenile court, which focuses on rehabilitating young offenders and trying to help them understand the potential consequences of their actions. If a juvenile is judged to be delinquent, they can be assigned a probationary period, pretrial detention, or another non-judicial sentence if you have no prior criminal record.
Are You Facing Assault Charges in Connecticut?
At common law, assault was the crime of threatening or menacing someone into believing they are about to be harmed. However, in Connecticut, the definition actually requires physical contact and can be tried as a misdemeanor or a felony. If you have been charged with assault, you need an experienced attorney on your side to help ensure that your rights are protected in court.
Several Degrees
Assault in Connecticut can be charged in three different degrees, as of current law, with the specific choice of charge being affected by the severity of the incident. For example, if you cause bodily harm to someone with the intent to hurt them (as opposed to having intent to kill), you would likely be charged with third-degree assault, a Class A misdemeanor. Comparatively, if you cause serious physical injury to someone with intent (or with extreme recklessness), you would most likely be charged with first-degree assault, which is a Class B felony.
Traffic Violations in Fairfield County, CT
No one enjoys getting a traffic ticket. However, too many people simply neglect them when they get them, setting them aside until a moment when the consequences come back to haunt them. If you get traffic tickets in Fairfield County, you need to contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible in order to either pay them or fight them - failure to do this can actually impact your driving record in a very serious way.
Many Different Violations and Penalties
There are multiple types of traffic violations in Connecticut, though some are more common than others. Moving violations are generally considered minor, especially if no property damage, death or injury occurs during the violation. However, the consequences can add up. Some of the more common examples include speeding, reckless driving, failure to stop at a sign or traffic signal, going the wrong way on a one-way street, and following too closely. Some traffic violations carry short jail sentences - for example, reckless driving usually mandates a sentence of up to 30 days for a first offense, and up to one year for a second or beyond.
Why Do I Need a Connecticut Criminal Defense Attorney?
Very often, people who have been arrested and charged with minor crimes in Connecticut might try to navigate the criminal justice system without an attorney, even though they are entitled to one. It can be easy to tell yourself that the charges are minor, that you will be able to manage without paying an attorney - but the odds are overwhelmingly against you managing to talk yourself out of fines and jail time. Enlisting a Connecticut criminal defense attorney is always a better idea.
Trust in Knowledge
While it is possible to represent yourself in a criminal matter, it is emphatically not recommended. You are required to know all the ins and outs of the law, just like any lawyer would, and failure to abide by both law and etiquette can torpedo your case before you even get started. If, for example, you represent yourself and take a plea-bargain, you may find out later on in life that you could have gotten a better deal. It is simply not worth the risk to try and handle a criminal matter on your own.
Connecticut Parental Liability for Actions of Minor Children
Many parents are not aware that until their children become adults, they remain responsible for their children’s actions. This can often come as an unwelcome surprise to parents who are surprised out of the blue by police at their door or by bills they did not expect. If you have been advised you may be liable due to your children’s actions, you need to consult an attorney who understands these cases so you can ensure both you and your child’s rights are protected.
Property Damage and Injury
The relevant Connecticut statute is fairly straightforward about the types of offenses for which a parent can incur liability. The key phrase is that a parent is liable when their child “willfully or maliciously” causes damage to any property or injury to any person. It is important to keep in mind that ‘intentional’ has to mean ‘without just cause,’ rather than simply someone choosing to voluntarily act. For example, if a child chooses to act in a way that is almost guaranteed to injure someone, it does not necessarily matter if they had no intention to injure anyone - they still acted in that way.
Caught Shoplifting in Fairfield County?
Shoplifting is an all too common crime, but just because it occurs regularly does not mean that law enforcement does not take it seriously. If you have been arrested and charged with shoplifting, you need an experienced attorney on your side to make sure that your rights are protected. Having any kind of charge on your record can cause problems for you later on down the road.
Dollar Amount Matters
Shoplifting falls under Connecticut’s larceny law, in which ‘larceny’ is used as an umbrella term to cover many different theft crimes. Its rough definition is when someone intentionally takes items from a store or other ‘mercantile establishment’ without intending on paying the advertised price for the goods. It can be confusing to some, but if you have been charged with a theft crime, the charge will likely be larceny, even though it is technically a more specific offense.
What Happens When You Refuse a Breathalyzer Test?
Drinking and driving is never acceptable under any circumstances and justifiably carries serious consequences, even for first offenders. However, there are ways that a person can make things even worse for themselves when they get caught. Refusing a breathalyzer or other sobriety test is at the top of the list - but at the same time, refusing a breathalyzer is not a crime in Connecticut. Either way, enlisting a Stamford DUI attorney will help you ensure your rights are protected.
A Danger to Others
If you are pulled over on suspicion of drinking and driving, you will be asked to take at least one sobriety test, with a breathalyzer being one that is commonly used in the field. It is not against the law to refuse a breath test in Connecticut (though it is in many other states), If you refuse, state law allows for your drivers’ license to be immediately suspended, generally for up to six months’ time for a first offense, with the length of time rising with each offense and refusal. If you are under the age of 18 and refuse a breathalyzer, the license suspension will be 18 months for a first offense.
Connecticut Sex Crimes
Being the victim of a sex crime is one of the most devastating events that can happen to a person. However, being accused of a sex crime that you did not commit can be a terrifying process that can essentially ruin lives. If you are in that position, it is absolutely critical to engage an experienced Stamford sex crimes defense attorney who understands the stakes of your situation.
Different Degrees
Sex crimes in Connecticut run the gamut from Class B misdemeanors to Class A felonies, and they can require varying degrees of intent. Generally, the degree charged will be higher the more evidence of force is present. For example, if someone engages in a sexual act with someone who is legally ineligible to consent, but without force, they will likely be charged with sexual assault in the fourth degree, but if they engage in sex while using force, they will be charged with third-degree assault, or possibly rape, which is sexual assault in the first degree.
Has Connecticut Suspended Your Driver’s License?
There are several different reasons why a driver in Connecticut may have their driver’s license suspended, but it is never easy to get it back on your own. Most of the time, certain requirements must be met before your license can be reinstated, and it is easy to make a mistake or become confused if you try to manage the issue without experienced legal help. You need a dedicated attorney to help ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible.
Many Different Reasons for Suspension
License suspension or revocation is a consequence for conviction of several crimes in Connecticut. Most of the time, it is seen as a consequence serious enough to deter all but the most determined and criminal minds; the average person will be so inconvenienced by having no license that at least, in theory, they will think twice before offending again. Examples of violations or crimes that can result in license suspension include:
Caught with Hard Drugs in Connecticut?
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While Connecticut is known for having decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana at a relatively early point in time, many tend to forget that the state’s law on possession of harder drugs is just as severe as that of any other. Drugs like cocaine and heroin are in a different medical classification group than marijuana, and the effect of possession and use on the public good is far worse. If you have been caught with harder drugs than marijuana, you definitely need to contact an experienced attorney to help you.
Possession and Intent to Distribute
Connecticut law recognizes two types of drug possession crimes - simple possession, and possession with intent to distribute. While intent to distribute is a crime carrying a long jail term, simple possession of hard drugs is still seen as a serious offense even if there is no intent to sell visible. This is because hard drugs have been documented to cause not acute harm not only to users, but to those around them as well. This idea of wanting to protect society, in general, is referred to as public policy, and drug offenses are often referred to as public policy crimes.
The Law Offices of Daniel P. Weiner in Stamford, Connecticut serves clients in Greenwich, Norwalk, New Canaan, Darien, Westport, Bridgeport, Fairfield, Danbury, Wilton and clients throughout Fairfield County and across Connecticut (CT).
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