Top Stamford Connecticut criminal lawyers see it all too often—Connecticut criminal trespass arrests of teenagers and college students in Stamford, Greenwich, Darien or New Canaan Connecticut. Whether these are arrests at UConn, Fairfield University, Trinity College, Yale University or a Connecticut private school, these arrests for Criminal Trespass in Connecticut are heavy-handed and unfair. While the intentions are to break up underage drinking parties, the question remains whether public arrests of teenagers and college students involved in the college admission and job application processes are really necessary? And if you are a college student who is arrested in Connecticut for Criminal Trespass, are there circumstances when a top Stamford or Greenwich criminal lawyer can help you make your Connecticut Criminal Trespass arrest go away quickly?
Yes, there’s hope. Keep reading…
You can be arrested in Connecticut for 3 degrees of Criminal Trespass crimes, all of which are misdemeanor charges. Pursuant to Connecticut General Statute § 53a-107, you can be arrested in Stamford for First Degree Criminal Trespass if you enter a building or other premises after you’ve been told not to enter by an authorized person or the owner of the property.
An arrest in Connecticut for Second Degree Criminal Trespass can occur if you enter a premises when you have knowledge that you are not privileged to enter a property, With this charge, you do not need a warning that you are trespassing to get arrested. Third Degree Criminal Trespass is similar, but applies to scenarios where a “no trespass” or similar sign is posted, or the property is fenced in to prevent trespassers. Criminal Trespass arrests frequently occur in hunting and fishing scenarios, when you unlawfully enter land to hunt or fish—a crime that is easy for someone to commit without realizing.
Under these circumstances, you can imagine how easy it is to be arrested for Criminal Trespass in Connecticut, especially if you are college or high school student attending a keg or underage drinking party. That’s why you should consider hiring a Stamford criminal lawyer to fight your Criminal Trespass arrest and challenge your case by investigating key legal and fact points in your case such as: Did you have actual knowledge that you were trespassing? Was the property abandoned? Did you have the required intent to commit a Criminal Trespass? Can the police actually prove you entered or remained on the property? These are questions that must be carefully reviewed and considered prior to your first court date. Click here for more information on Criminal Trespass arrests in Connecticut, and how to most effectively fight these Criminal Trespass arrests in Stamford, Greenwich or Darien Connecticut.
Probably one of the best results you can get in a Greenwich Criminal Trespass arrest is getting it reduced to a Simple Trespass Infraction, under C.G.S. 53a-110a. This is an infraction, not a misdemeanor and is viewed just like a Speeding ticket according to the courts. If your top Stamford Connecticut Criminal Trespass attorney and lawyer can convince the prosecutor that you did not have any intention to damage any property, then it’s possible they will drop the criminal charge and offer you the infraction. It’s a very good result for a Connecticut Criminal Trespass arrest.
There is a fine line between Criminal Trespass and other more serious charges in Connecticut, such as Burglary or Home Invasion. Pursuant to CGS § 53a-103, you can be arrested in Connecticut for Burglary if you have trespassed onto someone else’s property with the intention of committing a crime. It’s then easy to see the similarities between a Connecticut Burglary arrest and a Connecticut Criminal Trespass arrest, and how the lines between them might blur—which can result in you facing a more serious charge than you should. Click here for more details on Connecticut Burglary arrests and how the Mark Sherman Law firm can help you fight these charges.
Given the severe implications of entering someone’s home without permission, heavy-handed prosecutors may not be afraid to threaten raising a Criminal Trespass arrest to a Burglary charge if the case is not going their way. This can leave someone facing a felony charges and years of prison time if they do not know how to properly defend themselves. The attorneys at the Law Offices of Mark Sherman are familiar with the nuances of the law, and can help you avoid serious punishments for a crime you should not be charged with.
The team of criminal lawyers at Mark Sherman Law are available discuss your Connecticut criminal trespass arrest today. We will aggressively fight for you to have your charges reduced or dropped completely, if the circumstances of your case allows. Call us today at (203) 358-4700.