Posted on May 04,2015 in Juvenile Crimes

Spring has finally arrived in Connecticut, and that means that the school year will be winding down soon. For high school students – especially seniors – the end of the school year brings with it exciting events. If you have teenagers, they have probably begun making plans for proms, class trips, award banquets, and other activities. It is not uncommon, however, for underage drinking to occur, and the consequences of such drinking can be serious for not only teens, but also for their parents.

In Connecticut, the legal drinking age was raised to 21-years-old in 1985– and has remained there ever since. According to Connecticut General Statute Sec. 30-89, minors are not allowed to possess alcohol, whether in a public road or street; or a private or public place. The fine for violating the law can be up to $500.

It is also illegal for a minor to purchase alcohol, even if the establishment does not request legal proof of age, such as a driver’s license. And if a minor is carded, and provides a false identification, they can be fined anywhere from $200 up to $500 and be sentenced to up to 30 days in jail.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on April 27,2015 in Criminal Defense

If you are a teen driver or the parent of a teen driver, you have likely heard many warnings about the dangers of distracted driving, including texting and using a cell phone. A recent study shows that distracted driving is responsible for more teen car crashes than previously thought.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety recently studied videos taken from vehicle event recorders of almost 1,700 crashes involving teen drivers. These videos showed that distracted driving was a factor in 58 percent of accidents. This is almost four times higher than the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s previous estimate that 14 percent of accidents involving teen drivers were caused by distracted driving.

The following is a breakdown of the most frequent types of distractions and the percentage of accidents to which they were linked in the study:

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on April 20,2015 in Juvenile Crimes

Sending sexually explicit content through text, pictures, or video—known as “sexting”—has become a major concern among U.S. parents. This is especially true in cases involving pictures or video. To govern these crimes, various states began adopting teen sexting laws starting in 2009. Today, roughly half of the states in this country have some type of legislation that relates to sending sexual content over the Internet and on cellphones. Understanding these laws is critical for every parent.

How Sexting Can Get Teens in Trouble

Sexting made national headlines when a teenager faced charges of distributing child pornography. According to CNN, the defendant distributed nude pictures of his 16-year-old girlfriend as a means of getting back at her for an argument. As a result of this case, the court labeled the defendant a sex offender.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on April 13,2015 in Criminal Defense

Burglary and home invasion crimes are reported with seemingly increasing frequency. These are serious crimes, and someone who is charged with burglary may also be charged with the related crimes of robbery and larceny. If the person charged with burglary is a juvenile, it could signal the beginning of more serious criminal involvement.

Home invasion is the most serious of the burglary-type offenses, and is a Class A felony. It occurs when a person enters an occupied dwelling with the intent to commit a crime and either:

• He or another person commits a felony against the occupant; or
• He is armed with explosives or a deadly weapon or dangerous item.

Burglaries are divided into three types based on the circumstances of the crime. The crime of third degree burglary occurs when a person breaks into a building and enters it with the intent to commit a crime. It is second degree burglary if the building is a dwelling, and the occupant is present in the dwelling at the time. For first degree burglary, a person enters a building with the intent to commit a crime and:

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on April 06,2015 in Traffic Violations

Although every driver is responsible for following traffic laws, it is easy to make a careless mistake and wind up with a ticket. Being inattentive for even a second can cause a person to speed or miss a stop sign.

In most cases, facing a traffic violation is not the end of the world. However, they can come with steep fines, and in some cases, a driver may even lose his or her license. In the most serious cases, offenders may also face jail time. This is why it is so important for drivers to take proactive steps to avoid the most common traffic violations.

Here is a breakdown of the three of most common traffic violations in Connecticut:

1. Speeding

With work, school, errands, and raising children, many Americans live busy lives. As a result, they are often running late for obligations. Other drivers simply drive too fast. These are just a couple reasons why speeding is the most common traffic offense in the United States.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on March 23,2015 in Traffic Violations

Traffic violations can be stressful, time-consuming, and expensive. Additionally, they are more common than most people may realize. In fact, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, traffic stops represent the most common type of interaction between civilians and law enforcement.

Conviction of or pleading guilty to a traffic violation, may result in a financial penalty, license suspension, or even jail time depending on the nature of the offense. Fortunately, a criminal attorney with experience litigating traffic violation cases may be able to get the charges significantly reduced or altogether dropped.

What to Do When Police Pull You Over

It happens to thousands of people every day, yet being pulled over by a police officer still causes many drivers to panic. Whether it is for a speeding offense or any other violation, taking a deep breath and following the officer's instructions politely is the best approach to a traffic stop. Receiving a traffic ticket is not the end of the world, nor is it the time or place to argue about the validity of the violation.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on March 16,2015 in Drug Charges

Governor Daniel Malloy recently announced his plans to introduce serious changes to the criminal justice system. According to The Register Citizen, Governor Malloy believes Connecticut—and the rest of the United States—has created a justice system that persecutes many unfairly and fails to offer a second chance to those who deserve one.

The proposed measures would involve changes in several key areas including drug crimes. While many are hopeful that the reform will lead to a more effective justice system, criminal offenses are—and will always be—serious matters.

Governor Announces New Goals at College Speech

During a speech at Yale Law School, Governor Malloy made it clear that he and others are noticeably unhappy with the current status of the justice system. He mentioned that certain penalties, such as those that result from nonviolent drug possession charges, are too serious and inhibit the lives of those convicted.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on March 09,2015 in Criminal Defense

Lately, there have been numerous news reports of Connecticut teachers being arrested for sex crimes related to inappropriate contact with students. Such arrests can result in felony charges and prison sentences, in addition to having a serious impact on the lives of all those involved.

A high school teacher, who has since resigned, was recently sentenced to two years in prison for having a sexual relationship with one of his students was recently sentenced to two years in prison. He had been charged with one count of second-degree sexual assault, a felony.  Although the student was over 16 years old, which is the age of consent, Connecticut law considers such actions to be second-degree sexual assault if the perpetrator is a teacher and the victim is a student at the school.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on March 02,2015 in Sex Crimes

Sexual assault on college campuses occurs with alarming frequency. Among the most critical issues of fact in sexual assault cases is whether the alleged victim consented to the sexual activity. A proposed law would change the legal definition of consent in these cases.

Currently, Connecticut law provides that sexual assault in the first degree occurs when a person compels another to engage in sexual intercourse by the use of force, or the threat of use of force, against that person or a third person. As with any criminal charge, sexual assault must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt for the accused to be found guilty.

Under the proposed law, the consent standard in sexual assault cases that occur on college campuses in Connecticut would become “affirmative consent.” The proposal is modeled after a recently-enacted California law, and provides that affirmative consent means “affirmative, conscious and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity.” Failure to protest or resist, and remaining silent, would not constitute affirmative consent.

Continue Reading ››

 Posted on February 28,2015 in Criminal Defense

If you have been arrested on domestic violence charges, chances are good that you have also had a protective or restraining order issued against you. The courts—and Connecticut lawmakers—take domestic violence charges, protective orders, and restraining orders very seriously, and so should you.

Protective Orders

According to the Connecticut Judicial Branch information on domestic violence, a protective order is an order issued in a criminal case and is issued against a defendant after an arrest for family violence. A criminal protective order remains in effect until the underlying criminal case is completed.

Restraining Orders

Continue Reading ››