You don’t have to look too far in the news these days to appreciate how much more aggressively government and state agencies are interfering in people’s lives, especially when it comes to Greenwich Connecticut domestic violence arrests. Some of the best Greenwich Connecticut criminal and DCF lawyers would even say that many state agencies—including the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (“DCF”) and the Greenwich Police Department—are adopting a sweeping “CYA” approach to administering their duties. Make arrests, then ask questions later seems to be the trend in some cases. While this cautious approach is sometimes justified, many times it is overkill and causes more harm than good to Greenwich Connecticut families, especially if you are arrested in Greenwich Connecticut for a minor Greenwich domestic violence crime, or if you are being unnecessarily investigated by DCF in Greenwich Connecticut.
So how do you put out the fires and contain the damage to your reputation caused by a Greenwich Connecticut arrest or Greenwich Connecticut DCF investigation? Here’s how…
As any of the best Greenwich Connecticut criminal lawyers would know, a Greenwich Connecticut domestic violence arrest for Disorderly Conduct (CGS 53a-182), Assault in the Third Degree (CGS 53a-61), or Risk of Injury to a Minor (CGS 53-21), can often trigger an automatic DCF investigation if there were children in the home during the alleged fight or domestic violence dispute. While we have provided you with a general overview of Connecticut domestic violence arrests in the past, we now write to zero in on a few critical considerations for you to contemplate during your Greenwich Connecticut arrest. Know that perhaps the most important consideration during a Greenwich Connecticut domestic violence arrest or police call is the risk assessment that the responding officers will conduct at the scene of the call. They must make an immediate decision as to whether you will be permitted to return to your home after you are booked, fingerprinted and photographed. The restraining order (called the conditions of release) they impose at that point in time definitely carries some weight and credibility at the Stamford Superior Court restraining order hearing that will take place at your Greenwich Connecticut domestic violence arrest arraignment, which occurs on the next business morning. Follow this link to learn more about Greenwich Connecticut domestic violence arrest protective orders and restraining orders.
When the police come to your home in response to a 911 call for a Greenwich Connecticut domestic violence arrest or investigation, the most important thing you can do is appear and remain calm, even if your spouse, significant other, or accuser is rattling off lies to the police about what happened. Top Greenwich Connecticut criminal lawyers and attorneys know that police officers who respond to Greenwich Connecticut domestic violence 911 calls are going through a mental checklist and matrix of risk factors. If you appear overly emotional, aggressive, intoxicated, or dangerous, the police are going to take a very cautious approach and order you out of your home immediately. Believe it or not, they have that power—even if you are the owner of the home, pay the mortgage or have nowhere to go. Everything aggressive you say to the police or to your accuser will likely be documented in police reports that will be reviewed by the restraining order judge at your restraining order hearing. So remember, stay calm.
Top Greenwich Connecticut criminal lawyers and attorneys who regularly fight Greenwich domestic violence arrests like Disorderly Conduct, Strangulation or Risk of Injury know that if there are children in the home or vicinity during a Greenwich Connecticut domestic violence arrest, then a Greenwich Connecticut DCF investigator will be required to respond within 24-48 hours. Be prepared for them to show up unannounced. In most cases, they do not have the authority or power to enter your home or require you or your children to be interviewed, but you can expect that in certain cases, they may be particularly aggressive in obtaining information about your children’s safety (click here to read more about how to handle yourself during aggressive DCF investigations). These DCF investigators are required by law to make a home visit after many Greenwich Connecticut domestic violence / Risk of Injury arrests. Some top Connecticut DCF investigation lawyers would say this is simply unnecessary intervention from the DCF “CYA” playbook. But no matter how you look at it, the fact is that at some point after your Greenwich Connecticut domestic violence arrest, you will need to interact and respond to a DCF investigation. That’s why it is a good idea to just take the DCF investigator’s business card and tell them you will speak with them after you have had a chance to consult with a top Greenwich Connecticut DCF investigation lawyer attorney. Click here to learn more about effectively fighting Connecticut DCF investigations.
Next, when you get to Stamford Superior Court for your Greenwich Connecticut arrest for domestic violence crimes like Disorderly Conduct, Breach of Peace, Assault or Risk of Injury, you will be asked to meet with a Family Relations Officer. Their job is to conduct a quick risk assessment of you and your family, and make recommendations to the presiding judge regarding the conditions of the criminal protective order / restraining order that will be ordered at your first court date for a Greenwich Connecticut domestic violence arrest. Remember—whatever you say to a Family Relations Officer will be documented, can be disclosed to the restraining order judge, and can be used against you at the trial of your underlying charges. So whether you should talk to a family relations officer in connection with your Greenwich Connecticut arrest for Disorderly Conduct, domestic violence, Strangulation, or Assault is a key question that should be discussed at length with your top Greenwich Connecticut criminal lawyer.
If you liked some of these “secrets,” know that we have shared a lot more of these at our new website portal called the Connecticut Domestic Violence Help Center to assist you with very pointed questions that usually arise during a Greenwich Connecticut domestic violence arrest or a Greenwich Connecticut DCF investigation. We hope these are helpful, and if you have any other questions, give a Greenwich Connecticut criminal lawyer at Mark Sherman Law a call today at (203) 358-4700.
