Posted on July 22,2015 in Criminal Defense

Most Americans make an honest effort to follow the laws and encourage others to do the same. However, people sometimes make mistakes that can lead to either misdemeanor or felony charges.

No matter what type of charges you face, the advice of a criminal defense attorney may prove invaluable. Even misdemeanor offenses can remain on your record, which can compromise your employment opportunities and ability to acquire grants for school.

Many people understand that felonies are typically more serious than misdemeanors. Unfortunately, this has led to the misconception that misdemeanor charges are not a big deal. This article will explain why it is important to have a solid legal defense if you are facing misdemeanor charges.

Can I Go to Jail for Committing a Misdemeanor Offense?

Different misdemeanor offenses can vary greatly in terms of the penalties. A class A misdemeanor conviction may come with up to one year in jail, according to the Connecticut General Assembly. Even the lighter charge of a class C misdemeanor can result in one month in jail. In addition to potential jail time, a misdemeanor conviction may result in a fine of up to $2,500.

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 Posted on July 14,2015 in Juvenile Crimes

When your teen faces charges for illegal actions, a million thoughts can race through your mind. You may wonder how these charges could affect your child’s future, and you likely have questions about effective defense strategies.

Juvenile criminal charges can severely compromise a teen’s opportunities, which is why it is critical that parents consult a juvenile criminal attorney for advice. A lawyer can assess the case and attempt to devise a strong defense strategy that reduces penalties or potentially convinces the court to drop the charges.

According to the Connecticut Judicial Branch, anyone under the age of 18 who has broken a federal or state law will normally be tried for a delinquent act—not for a criminal offense. It is important to keep in mind, however, that there are exceptions to this rule depending on the severity of the crime, especially in regard to major felonies.

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 Posted on July 07,2015 in Driving Under the Influence

As is common with many other areas of the law, alcohol-related driving offenses are susceptible to a number of popular myths. Many of these fabrications not only are false, but they also can land you in a lot of trouble if you believe them. All drivers should be aware of the laws of the road, and DUI laws are some of the most important. In order to protect yourself under the law, you should be aware of some of the most popular misconceptions regarding driving under the influence.

1. There Are Ways to Fool a Breathalyzer

Breathalyzers display an accurate measurement of a driver's blood-alcohol level by analyzing his or her breath. Since police began using these machines, urban myths about fooling them have continued to flourish. These have included everything from brushing your teeth to placing a battery or penny in your mouth. Some people have even suggested that being a smoker decreases the breathalyzer's ability to take a reading. According to Bactrack.com, these are all entirely untrue.

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 Posted on June 24,2015 in Juvenile Crimes

There has been much media coverage over a recent murder case which occurred in downtown Stamford several weeks ago. According to details released by law enforcement, the 52-year-old male victim was walking out of a fast-food restaurant when he accidently bumped into a 15-year-old teenager. The teen, along with two other males, allegedly beat the victim with hands and a stick. At some point, one member of the group pulled a knife and stabbed the victim several times in the heart, while the other two continued to beat him. A passing ambulance saw the victim on the ground and quickly transferred him to the hospital. The man died several hours later.

The 15-year-old teen has been arrested and charged with the man’s murder. Police claim that he is the person who stabbed the victim. However, prosecutors have charged him as an adult, not a juvenile. He is currently being held on a $2 million bond at a juvenile detention center. Although many people are upset over the tragic and violent way the victim died, there are also many people who are questioning why the 15-year-old accused is being processed in the adult criminal justice system, and not the juvenile system.

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 Posted on June 17,2015 in Domestic Violence

Facing domestic violence charges is a serious matter. If convicted, defendants may have a criminal record and a potential jail sentence.

Connecticut’s domestic violence laws do not discriminate based on gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, education, or immigration status, according to the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence. If you face domestic violence charges, it is important that you know your rights and consult an attorney with experience handling cases like yours.

Definition of Family Violence

In Connecticut, it is illegal for anyone to assault, threaten, or stalk another person, even if that person is a family member, household member or ex-partner. The state does not consider verbal abuse to be domestic abuse unless it causes physical harm.

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 Posted on June 10,2015 in Criminal Defense

A lot has been in the news lately about crimes on college campuses, especially those dealing with sexual assault and rape. The recent Rolling Stone article about rape on the University of Virginia campus—that was later shown to be in large part manufactured and incorrectly reported by Rolling Stone—may serve to belie just how serious and honest the vast majority of these crimes are.

According to the Washington Post, the number of victims who come forward to report sexual assault or forcible sexual offenses on college campuses have continued to increase in recent years. This could be in part due to the encouragement of university officials that students come forward to report such incidences, rather than to sweep them under the rug. In 2012, it was reported that Penn State University had the nation’s highest number of reports of forcible sex offenses on campus at a staggering 56 incidents in one school year.

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 Posted on June 03,2015 in Traffic Violations

Nobody likes being on the wrong end of a traffic stop. The blue lights flashing in your rearview mirror will get your heart pumping, blood flowing, and hands shaking in an instant. In many cases, people do not know why police have stopped them. They may be unaware of a broken taillight, or they may not have noticed a stop sign. No matter what the reason for the traffic stop, it is always important to stay calm and to be respectful to the officer. If the officer tries to give you a ticket for a traffic offense or test you for DUI, rude behavior can only worsen the situation.

Stay Calm and Pull over Safely

If a police car moves behind you and turns on its lights, it is important to pull over as soon as it is safely possible, according to Business Insider. If you have to change lanes, this may require waiting a moment for other vehicles to move.

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 Posted on May 29,2015 in Marijuana Possession

Attitudes across the country are changing when it comes to marijuana and the punishment for marijuana possession, and Connecticut is no exception. According to Connecticut law, the state currently carries fines and criminal penalties for certain levels of possession. Possession of less than one-half ounce of marijuana carries a $150 fine for the first offense. Penalties become increasingly harsh with frequency of offense: a second offense can carry up to a $500 penalty. Third-time offenders will have to attend drug education classes, which will be paid for by their own means. The more substance, the higher the penalty as well: if a person has more than a half-ounce but less than 4 ounces of cannabis he or she can face up to a $1,000 fine and up to a year in prison, or both. These penalties were enacted in 2011, making possession of small amounts of marijuana a civil violation instead of a criminal offense, as it had been in previous years.

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 Posted on May 18,2015 in Criminal Defense

Sex crimes are pretty black and white when it comes down to it. Yet there are some cases in which the crime—and the punishment—can fall into a rather gray area, and statutory rape is among these. Somewhat surprisingly, most states do not refer specifically to statutory rape, but instead designate such a crime as sexual assault or sexual abuse. Assault and abuse are blanket terms used to designate or identify such prohibited activity. Regardless of semantics, statutory rape is a sexual crime against a person who is not of age, based on the premise that until a person reaches a certain age, sexual contact with that person is illegal, regardless of consent. In most states, including Connecticut, the age of legal consent is 16 years old.

The punishment in Connecticut for statutory rape is steep—from 10 to 25 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of five years if the victim is between the age of 10 and 16. A convicted individual will receive a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison if the victim is less than 10 years old.

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 Posted on May 11,2015 in Driving Under the Influence

Beginning on July 1, 2015, a stricter ignition interlock requirement will be implemented for drivers convicted of driving under the influence (DUI). Under the new law, the Department of Motor Vehicles is authorized to require ignition interlock devices to be installed in the vehicles of first-time DUI offenders.

An ignition interlock device is a small device that measures blood alcohol which is wired into the ignition of a vehicle. The driver must blow into the device before the vehicle may be started, and the vehicle will not start if the driver has a measurable blood alcohol level. Ignition interlock devices are shown to decrease the number of repeat DUI offenses by as much as 67 percent.

The new law impacts penalties imposed for a DUI conviction or for administrative violations of Connecticut’s drunk driving laws. In addition to requiring interlock ignition devices for DUI first offenders, the new law also:

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