Posted on May 07, 2018 in Driving Under the Influence

Drunk driving is a serious problem in Connecticut’s Fairfield County. According to a 2017 study conducted by 24/7 Wall St., more than one in five adults drinks excessively in the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk area. Such drinking habits likely contribute to the fact that more than one-third of the area’s roadway fatalities involve alcohol, which is higher than both the state and national average.

It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle in Connecticut with an elevated blood alcohol content. The limit is 0.08%, except for commercial truck drivers, whose limit is 0.04%. A DUI conviction carries the following types of penalties:

1. Jail time. First offenders may spend up to six months in jail. Offenders convicted for a second time within a 10-year period face jail time up to two years. A third or subsequent offense means up to three years in prison.

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 Posted on April 27, 2018 in Hate Crimes

In Connecticut as in other states and the nation at large, words or actions that might otherwise constitute a misdemeanor crime rise to the level of a serious felony offense when motivated by bigotry or bias against another person or group’s race, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. When such a combination of actions, motivations, and parties are present, the words or acts at issue may be prosecuted as a hate crime. As a serious felony offense, a hate crime is punishable by a lengthy prison sentence and fine of several thousand dollars. If you have been charged with a hate crime in Connecticut, your reputation, personal freedom, and financial standing demand that you counter the charges with effective legal representation.

Intimidation is at the Core of Hate Crimes in Connecticut

The reason Connecticut punishes hate crimes so severely is to deter individuals from harassing perceived members of groups that have been historically disfavored in American society. Through deterrence, vulnerable classes are afforded protection. Specifically, protected status applies to:

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 Posted on April 20, 2018 in Domestic Violence

Connecticut imposes strict penalties for domestic violence. As such, if you have been charged with domestic violence in the state, you owe it to yourself to become knowledgeable as to the consequences of a conviction. Jail time, fines, and damage to your personal reputation are among the adverse outcomes. With so much on the line, experienced legal representation in matters of criminal defense is essential.

Domestic Violence Is Termed “Family Violence” in Connecticut

In Connecticut, domestic violence is categorized as “family violence.” Under state law, family violence is an event that occurs between family or household members that either causes physical injury or produces fear the physical injury is imminent. Family or household members include:

• People who are related;
• People who are or were married;

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 Posted on April 13, 2018 in Driving Under the Influence

If you have been charged with a second, third, or subsequent DUI or DWI in Connecticut, you face very harsh penalties with regard to your personal freedom, finances, reputation, and driving privileges. Alcohol, as you are likely aware if you have previously been convicted of DUI or DWI, is a common source of problems in both the state and nation at large. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), over 25% of people ages 18 and over reported that they engaged in binge drinking the past month.

Over 15 million adults in the U.S. alone have alcohol use disorder, and every year an estimated 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes. The economic cost of alcohol misuse is staggering – running at 249 billion annually in the U.S. When it comes to alcohol misuse and Connecticut’s roads and highways, the state has little tolerance for those who drink and drive – especially after already having a DUI or DWI conviction.

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 Posted on April 06, 2018 in Drug Charges

A Connecticut drug possession, sale, or distribution conviction may have ramifications beyond jail, fines, mandatory rehab and counseling, and community service. There is also reputational damage, the social stigma of your name being associated with drug use, and if you have children, potential loss of child custody. Each one of the detriments is only magnified if you face a second, third, or subsequent drug conviction.

With regard to child custody, state family court judges are vested with substantial discretion to issue child custody orders so long as they are “in the best interests of the child.” If you have a criminal history, it will likely factor into matters of custody if the judge feels that the child has been or will be put at risk of violence, abuse, neglect, or endangerment. With the fundamental right to direct the upbringing and education of your child at stake, it is imperative that you retain experienced criminal defense counsel if you have been charged with a drug crime in Connecticut.

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 Posted on March 26, 2018 in Violent Crimes

Springtime is nearly here, and with it returns much fanfare. From the “March Madness” of the NCAA Tournament to spring break for “senioritis” for graduating high school seniors to college spring break to the simple pleasure of warming weather and clearing skies, a degree of wildness is in the air. When wild feelings to turn to wild actions, however, springtime fun runs the risk of devolving into springtime punishment. When verbal matters turn physical at a spring social gathering and an assault charge results, under no circumstances will a Connecticut court accept “March Madness” or “senioritis” as a defense.

Rather, the court will be concerned with facts, timeline, judicial and prosecutorial procedure, evidence, testimony, and there relevant, any criminal history of the accused. If you have been charged with assault in Connecticut, you need to be aware of the consequences you face and the need for an experienced criminal defense attorney.

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 Posted on March 19, 2018 in Juvenile Crimes

When a juvenile is charged with a crime in Connecticut, the young person will either require juvenile court defense in the state’s juvenile justice system or criminal defense in one the state’s (adult) courts. The difference from one scenario to the other may be pronounced. This is because, with regard to adults, who are presumed to have reached the age of maturity and thusly be fully contemplating intentions, actions, and consequences, the same cannot be said as concerns juveniles. Here, the words “age of maturity” loom large.

Prior to this age (eighteen in the state of Connecticut), juveniles are presumed to still be in a process of cognitive and emotional development, not yet fully contemplating and regulating intentions, actions and thus not deserving of consequences parallel to those meted out in the adult court system. For adults, a governing theory is often that of “retribution,” which is concerning with conduct deterrence through punishment, and with restoring the balance between the individual and society by imposing damages for breaches in the social contract.

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 Posted on March 12, 2018 in Driving Under the Influence

In the month of March, law enforcement are on the lookout for drivers running afoul of the state’s alcohol-related driving laws on the way home from watching events like the Academy Awards and the NCAA basketball tournament. With the Oscars running time at four hours, and March Madness running from before noon until midnight in its opening week, there is an increased risk for individuals consuming alcoholic beverages to exceed the legal Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level for driving. For this reason, it is very important to understand what BAC is, how it works, how easily the legal limit can be exceeded, and the penalties for driving with an impressible BAC. Driving in the state of Connecticut is a privilege – one that can be taken away on a temporary or permanent basis following a DWI conviction. Knowing the law and your legal rights when it comes to driving and alcohol is a must.

The Law Makes Presumptions About Impairment Irrespective Of Subjectivity

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 Posted on March 05, 2018 in Violent Crimes

It goes without saying that the charge of murder is one of the utmost seriousness, in Connecticut and every other state in the U.S. If you have been charged with a murder that occurred during the alleged commission of a felony in Connecticut, it is imperative that you retain experienced legal counsel. With a very lengthy prison sentence and other harsh penalties dispensed following a conviction, a strong legal defense is unquestionably a necessity.

Intent is at Issue in a Connecticut Murder Charge

Murder is one of the oldest crimes to be codified into law. Originally defined as “the killing of a human being by another with malice aforethought,” murder may be understood in the modern era in Connecticut as the intentional causation of the death of another. Whether in the old language of “malice aforethought” or the updated vernacular of “intentional causation,” the issue of intent – of a culpable state of mind – is at the heart of a murder prosecution. In some cases, intent is quite clear, such as in a premeditated shooting of one person by another. In other instances, murderous intent is more complex and carefully defined by statute. The latter is true with regard to Felony Murder in Connecticut. Under state law, Felony Murder has been committed when one person causes the death of another while committing, attempting to commit, acting in furtherance of, or fleeing any of the below enumerated felony crimes:

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 Posted on February 19, 2018 in Driving Under the Influence

In Connecticut, as in every other state, alcohol is not the only substance that can lead to a DUI charge. Driving while under the influence of drugs, whether illicit or a lawful prescription, may also result in a Connecticut DUI or DWI charge. Importantly, the penalties for a prescription drug-related DUI conviction are no different than those for a traditional, alcohol-based DUI. This is because the duty of safe driving is at issue. All drivers owe this duty to one another, and when one driver endangers another while under the influence, the nature of influencing substance is a secondary concern. Certainly, if the substance is illicit, a DUI charge may be coupled with separate drug charges. As for the DUI component, however, the penalties are the same.

Always Read the Label on Your Prescriptions

Even over-the-counter medicines such as cold remedies and antihistamines may cause one to become drowsy or disoriented and, as such, refrain from getting behind the wheel of a car, truck, or other vehicle. Behind-the-counter medications and treatments, only obtainable with the prescription of a physician, may be magnitudes stronger. This is especially the case with pain medication, some of which are derived from opiates – a very powerful class of drug. Because of this, it is critical that you follow the exact orders of the prescribing physician in taking the prescription, including taking time to read the label and understand any side-effects that you may experience. The duty is on you and an officer arresting you for DUI will not sympathetic to surprise prescription side-effect-related explanations.

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