Wilton General Information
With a population of approximately 18,000 residents and a rich history, Wilton Connecticut has grown into one of the more popular and accessible Fairfield County towns. Originally a part of Norwalk, Wilton slowly became more developed, eventually opening its own schools, constructing its own roads, and becoming its own, independent municipality. The town’s neighborhoods include Wilton Center, South Wilton, Gilbert Corners, North Wilton and Cannondale. It is surprise that in 2007, Wilton earned a coveted spot on CNN’s list of Best Places to Live in the United States. Presently, Wilton is an attractive home for commuters who work in New York or other Fairfield County business districts, such as Stamford and Greenwich. And as with any quiet suburb, the best Wilton Connecticut criminal lawyers and attorneys will tell you that typical suburban crime takes place in a town like Wilton, such as arrests in Wilton Connecticut for DUI / DWI, disorderly conduct, possession and distribution of alcohol and possession of marijuana. So if you are arrested in Wilton Connecticut, be sure to contact a top Wilton Connecticut criminal lawyer to assist you.
Wilton Arrests Report to Norwalk Superior Court
There are no criminal or civil courts in Wilton Connecticut. If you are arrested in Wilton Connecticut then you will likely be ordered to report to Norwalk Connecticut Superior Court, GA 20, located at 17 Belden Avenue in Norwalk, Connecticut, where many of the best Wilton Connecticut criminal defense attorneys and lawyers practice. You first will be required to post bond and bail after your Wilton Connecticut arrest for DUI / DWI, domestic violence, disorderly conduct, or other misdemeanor or felony arrest in Wilton Connecticut. If you do post bond, then your court date will be set for Norwalk Court in about 10 business days, unless it is a Wilton domestic violence arrest, when your arraignment will be scheduled for the next business morning. And as the best Wilton criminal lawyers know, a serious felony arrest in Wilton may be transferred to the Part A Criminal Court docket in Stamford Superior Court where the most serious cases are tried and litigated.
The Wilton Police Department
Even though there are no criminal courts in the Town of Wilton, it nevertheless maintains its own Police Department, with its headquarters located at 240 Danbury Road, Wilton, Connecticut, 06897. There are 44 officers on the force, dedicated to keeping Wilton safe. The Department has a number of specialized units. The Department’s K-9 unit was re-established in 2012, through the charitable donations from local charities. The K-9 Unit works on Wilton drug and narcotics arrests and investigations. The Wilton Police Department also has its own Dive Rescue Team dedicated to water-based rescue and recovery missions. The Team has been in operation since 2005, and includes members from the police department and the local fire department. All members of the Dive Rescue Team undergo continued training, and their services extend beyond the borders of Wilton. The Department also has trained officers on bike patrol that monitor the town’s business center, its parks and educational facilities. A unit, particularly unique to this Department, is the Accident Reconstruction Team, which reconstructs and investigates complicated and challenging motor vehicle accidents. Top Wilton Connecticut DUI / DWI criminal lawyers often work with the Accident Reconstruction Team and will sometimes challenge the results and findings of their investigations.
The Wilton Police Department’s strong community-based program initiatives have created good will and deterred crime throughout the Town. Wilton participates in a popular Neighborhood Watch Program, through which it educates the members of Wilton’s community on how to keep their homes and their neighbor’s homes safe, by noticing and reporting possible property crimes. The Wilton Police Department also engages the community through the Wilton Police Explorers program. This program, open to individuals from their mid-teens until 20 years old, meets once a week to train the explorers on police responsibilities that mostly include investigative procedures and training. Explorers then provide aid to officers on traffic duty, and attend a number of conferences for their enrichment. The Department hosts a similar but less hands-on program for adults, called the Citizen Police Academy. In an effort to build stronger ties with Wilton residents, this 12-week program educates those interested, in nearly every aspect of law enforcement. Particularly telling of Wilton’s close ties with its residents is the RUOK Program. This program is available for individuals 61 years of age or older, those who may not be able to leave home, and others suffering from disabilities. It involves a daily call from the Police Department to check on the participant’s welfare. As any of the best Wilton Connecticut criminal defense lawyers and attorneys would agree, an engaged police department can help keep the Town’s crimes statistics low.
Wilton Connecticut Speeding Tickets
Like many other Fairfield County Police Departments, the Wilton Police Department has a dedicated Traffic Enforcement Unit. The Unit is committed to keeping Wilton’s roads safe, and free from accidents caused by speeding and reckless drivers. Thus, if you are ticketed for speeding, in violation of C.G.S. § 14-219 or travelling unreasonably fast in violation of C.G.S. § 14-218a, then you will likely be issued a Wilton speeding ticket for the violation. There is a small difference between the two types of violations. As the top Wilton Connecticut speeding ticket lawyers would advise, speeding usually requires that you are driving at least 20 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, while still maintaining a speed under 85 miles per hour. Traveling unreasonably fast, on the other hand, involves driving over the limit, but not in excess of 20 miles per hour. Traffic citations can be quite a nuisance. Often people consider just mailing in a guilty plea with a fine in order to save time. However, this can result in points on your license and an increased insurance rate. Fighting a Wilton Connecticut speeding ticket in court does not have to be so difficult. Hiring a top Wilton speeding ticket attorney, who can appear on your behalf in most cases, may preserve your driving record, save you time, and possibly money. Furthermore, if your simple traffic stop resulted in your arrest in Wilton Connecticut for DUI / DWI under CGS 14-227a, then you should consult a top Wilton Connecticut DUI criminal lawyer to help you fight your case and work with you to possibly achieve a speedy dismissal of your Wilton DUI / DWI.
Wilton Connecticut Domestic Violence Arrests
Wilton, along with its neighboring Fairfield towns, Weston, Westport, New Canaan and Norwalk are all part of Geographical Area 20 or GA 20, which is located at the Norwalk Superior Court. Therefore, if you arrested in Wilton Connecticut for a domestic violence crime such as Disorderly Conduct, Assault in the Third Degree, or Violation of a Criminal Protective Order, then a top Wilton Connecticut criminal lawyer will inform you that you must you must report to the Norwalk Superior Court at 17 Belden Avenue in Norwalk, Connecticut on the very next business morning for your first court date, also called your “arraignment.”
Domestic violence hearings can get quite complicated, quite quickly. Typically, as the best Wilton Connecticut criminal attorneys understand, at your first Wilton domestic violence court date, a criminal court judge will issue one of three types of criminal restraining orders or protective orders. The first type of protective order, called the “Full No Contact” order, is the most restrictive. It prohibits any contact with an alleged victim and bans you from entering the alle ged victim’s home, even if it is your own home. The second type of protective order, called the “Full” or “Residential Stay-Away” still prohibits you from entering the victim’s premises, but is a little less stringent, in that it allows contact and visitation. The third and final type of order, a “Partial” or “Limited” protective order, does not forbid contact nor entering into protected person’s home, but merely prohibits you from threatening, harassing, or assaulting the individual protected by the order.
In light of how serious and heavy-handed a “Full No Contact” order can be—meaning it can order you not to have any contact whatsoever with your spouse and children, and can forbid you from returning to the home that you own and pay for—it is all the more important to contact a top Wilton domestic violence criminal lawyer to give you the proper guidance in fighting your Wilton domestic violence arrest.
Support Services for Victims of Domestic Violence in Wilton Connecticut
Victims of a Wilton domestic violence crime also have many local resources to tap. In fact, Wilton is one of five Fairfield County towns served by the Domestic Violence Crisis Center (called the “DVCC”). The DVCC provides free support and intervention services for victims of domestic violence. These services include counseling services for both victims and their children, advocacy through every step of the criminal court process, and in extreme cases, temporary safe housing for those who need to leave their homes immediately. The DVCC is also focused on raising awareness and educating individuals in order to prevent domestic violence. The five task forces set up by the DVCC in Wilton, Weston, Westport, Darien and New Canaan assist the DVCC with their mission to prevent domestic abuse through education, intervention and counseling.
Getting a Restraining Order in Wilton, Connecticut
If you are a victim of domestic violence in Wilton Connecticut, and are seeking relief in addition to the support you may receive from the Wilton Police Department or the Norwalk domestic violence court, then you can also apply for a civil restraining order in Stamford Superior Court. As any top Wilton Connecticut domestic violence criminal lawyer would advise, you will usually be entitled to an automatic hearing before a Superior Court family judge who may grant your top Wilton Connecticut restraining order lawyer’s application for a civil restraining order. Click here to learn more about the civil restraining order process.
Wilton High School Arrests
As the best Wilton Connecticut juvenile criminal lawyers know, Wilton High School is the only public high school serving the Town of Wilton. In 2013, Wilton High School was ranked the 6th best public high school in Connecticut according to the U.S. News and World Report rankings. Nearly 1300 students are currently enrolled in grades 9 through 12.
Much like many of the other Fairfield County Connecticut public schools, Wilton has a full time police officer in the building each day. The officer is called a School Resource Officer (also called an SRO). The SRO’s job is to coordinate cooperation among the students, the police department, and all levels of the school’s administration, in order to ensure the safety of the Wilton High School students, faculty and staff. The SRO also handles any criminal matters on the school’s property. As the best Wilton Connecticut criminal defense lawyers understand, an SRO has the authority to arrest a student, although they typically try and avoid an arrest whenever possible.
Wilton Connecticut Juvenile Court Arrests
When a Wilton Connecticut high school student is arrested, the criminal court where they are required to appear depends on your child’s age. Any student 17 and under will likely be required to report to the Stamford Juvenile Court, while students 18 and over will have to appear in adult court at the Norwalk Superior Court. Either way, as any top Wilton Connecticut criminal lawyer would explain, an arrest of a Wilton High School student can result in a suspension or expulsion from the Wilton public school system. School discipline such as expulsion or suspension must be taken seriously, as it can detrimentally impact your child’s college application or employment prospects. Click here to learn more about hiring a Connecticut school discipline lawyer.
It is always a good idea to contact a top Wilton juvenile lawyer or top Wilton school discipline lawyer to assist your family during this process. The stakes are high so you should make the extra effort to learn about the charges and accusations being waged against your child, and the rights and remedies you have in trying to get these cases dismissed.
Trackside Teen Center of Wilton Connecticut
Trackside is Wilton’s local teen center. It was originally founded as a safe haven for teens to get together and socialize in an alcohol-free and substance-free environment. Alcohol, drugs and cigarettes are strictly prohibited. At Trackside, teens can attend various meetings, have a snack with friends in the cafe, watch a movie in the theater, play in the game room, or just relax. The center also offers classes that teach baking and study skills. There are also a number of substance-free parties hosted where teens can get together, as well as a band night where the teens can perform music for others.
Wilton Connecticut Arrests for Possession and Distribution of Alcohol
Although Trackside provides a substance-free venue to host parties, some Wilton teenagers are still determined to host underage drinking parties at private homes or public parks or parking lots. In Connecticut, if you are under 21 and you purchase or attempt to purchase alcohol, or possess alcohol, then you can get a ticket or summons in Wilton Connecticut for Possession of Alcohol by a Minor under C.G.S. § 30-89. Under this section, even teens that have not purchased alcohol, but are found possessing it in a public space, or motor vehicle, can be issued a criminal court summons. Any Wilton Connecticut teenager ticketed for 30-89 Possession of Alcohol by a Minor will be responsible for a fine that ranges between $200 and $500 and may lose their driver’s license. Click here for more information on arrests in Wilton Connecticut for Possession of Alcohol by a Minor under CGS 30-89.
If you are a Wilton Connecticut and provide alcohol to anyone under 21, or host an underage drinking party, then you can be arrested in Wilton Connecticut for felony Providing Alcohol to a Minor under C.G.S. § 30-86. This crime prohibits anyone from selling, delivering, giving or providing alcohol to an individual under 21 years of age. Violations under this section carry fines of up to $3,500 and jail sentences of up to 18 months. Click here for more information about getting arrested in Wilton Connecticut for distribution of alcohol under Connecticut social hosting laws.
A rather surprising fact about Wilton is that it was a dry town until 1993, meaning that alcohol was not permitted to be sold in town. It was not until 2010 that Wilton’s liquor stores were able to sell and distribute alcohol. This recent change in attitude has caused Wilton Connecticut police to be extra vigilant in making arrests for distributing alcohol to minors under CGS 30-86.
The Wilton Connecticut Criminal Lawyers at the Mark Sherman Law Firm
So if you have been arrested in Wilton Connecticut for DUI / DWI, Domestic Violence, Disorderly Conduct, Possession of Narcotics, Possession of Alcohol by a Minor, or Distribution of Alcohol to a Minor, then you should contact a Wilton Connecticut criminal lawyer at Mark Sherman Law. We appreciate how living in a small town like Wilton Connecticut can subject you to unnecessary scrutiny by Wilton Police. That’s why the Wilton criminal lawyers at Mark Sherman Law will try and get your Wilton Connecticut arrest dismissed as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. So give us a call today at (203) 358-4700 for a consultation.