Greenwich Criminal Mischief Charges

Greenwich criminal mischief charges are treated differently by courts depending on the degree of the charge. Criminal mischief in the first degree is more serious than criminal mischief in the fourth degree. The higher the degree, the more seriously it would be treated.

If you are facing criminal mischief charges, you should reach out to a top criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. The best CT lawyers have done these types of cases before, know the people involved, know the law inside and out, and are able to present any relevant defenses. In addition, a lawyer could carefully scrutinize all of the police reports and allegations to make sure the person’s constitutional rights were followed and any relevant defenses are explored.

Criminal Mischief Penalties

Each degree of criminal mischief charge comes with a permanent criminal record. They could come with a period of incarceration, a period of probation, and a fine. For a fourth-degree offense, the maximum fine is $500. For first degree, it is up to $5,000. This is why someone who is facing Greenwich criminal mischief charges should contact an attorney.

How Authorities Determine the Degree of a Criminal Mischief Charge

The value of property is used in a criminal mischief charge by the police, who would typically look at the general retail value of the item that is alleged have been destroyed. For example, if someone breaks another person’s laptop, they would look at the make and model of the laptop and determine what the typical retail value is of that item. They would use that to value it and determine the level of the charges.

Because the value of the items is central to a criminal mischief case, defendants should seek the services of a lawyer. An experienced defense attorney could look into getting a different valuation of the item and presenting it to the prosecutor as evidence to show that perhaps the person should be charged with a lower degree of criminal mischief.

First Steps After Being Arrested or Charged

The first things a person should do after being charged with or arrested for criminal mischief in Greenwich is to get in touch with an experienced criminal defense lawyer that has dealt with criminal mischief charges before. An attorney could provide valuable advice on how to handle the situation. In most cases, it is not a good idea to speak with the police or walk into court alone.

When to Contact an Attorney

Someone arrested for criminal mischief should contact a lawyer in Greenwich as soon as they hear from the police. If they get arrested on the spot or if they get picked up on a warrant and do not realize that it is coming ahead of time, they should still get in touch with an attorney as soon as they can.

An Attorney Could Help Before Formal Charges are Filed

If someone becomes aware that the police are investigating them for criminal mischief in any degree, they should get in touch with an attorney immediately. One way a lawyer could help is by being the liaison with the police department. Without a lawyer’s advice, defendants risk saying something incriminating. Additionally, the attorney would have dealt with these types of cases before and would know what the police were interested in. In some cases, there is a chance to avoid an arrest altogether if an attorney gets involved from the beginning.

A Greenwich Criminal Mischief Attorney Could be Your Advocate

Many people facing Greenwich criminal mischief charges think they could represent themselves, and they want to go into court alone. They might mean well and want to try to explain the situation or present a defense, but often what happens is they say things that end up incriminating them further.

If you were charged with criminal mischief or are being investigated, it is important to contact a lawyer as soon as you can. An experienced criminal defense attorney could present any helpful evidence, knowing the law well and being able to prevent anything that could be harmful from getting to the prosecutor.