New Canaan Criminal Lawyer
The Town of New Canaan is a quaint and quiet suburban town of just under 20,000 residents. Its picturesque New England homes and sprawling backcountry estates make it a desirable place for New York City professionals to raise their families. It is a landlocked town, bordering Stamford, Norwalk, and Westchester County, New York. With such a small population, one might wonder whether it is difficult to locate any of the best New Canaan Connecticut criminal lawyers and attorneys. The reality, however, is that top New Canaan criminal lawyers are often needed to assist with typical suburban crimes, such as New Canaan arrests for DUI / DWI, New Canaan domestic violence, drug possession, vandalism and criminal mischief.
New Canaan Connecticut is a little over 20 miles in area and is subdivided into smaller sections that include Pinneys Corners, Smith Ridge Road, Talmadge Hill, Ponus Ridge, and the Town Center. The one-hour Metro North route connecting New Canaan to New York City has made New Canaan an attractive residence for wealthy commuters. In 2013, the community was ranked Number 5 on CNN Money’s top earning towns in the United States. With such a high profile for wealth, it is no surprise that New Canaan has often become a target for property crime arrests in New Canaan for larceny, burglary, and criminal mischief. Additionally, New Canaan arrests for domestic violence, DUI / DWI arrests, and Minors in Possession of Alcohol are equally prevalent in town. So if you are arrested in New Canaan Connecticut, it is important to consult a top criminal lawyer as soon as possible to understand your rights and choose the most fitting defense strategy to try and get your case dismissed.
Arrested in New Canaan Connecticut? Report to Norwalk Superior Court
You will not find a criminal courthouse in the Town of New Canaan—only a probate court. As any of the best New Canaan criminal lawyers will inform you, all New Canaan arrests initially report to Norwalk Superior Court, GA20—also known as Geographical Area 20—located at 17 Belden Avenue, Norwalk Connecticut. So if you are arrested in New Canaan for Disorderly Conduct, Interference with Police, or New Canaan DWI / DUI, you must have your case heard in Norwalk Superior Court. However, if you are arrested for a serious felony, such as a manslaughter, sex assault, or possession of child pornography, then your case may be transferred from Norwalk Court to the Stamford / Norwalk Judicial District, which is located at the Stamford Superior Court.
Domestic Violence Arrests in New Canaan, Connecticut
New Canaan Connecticut police and prosecutors take domestic violence arrests in New Canaan very seriously. With the assistance of the Domestic Violence Crisis Center, New Canaan has joined other Fairfield County towns such as Darien, Weston, Wilton and Westport in the nationwide movement to educate and prevent domestic violence. The task force, known as the New Canaan Domestic Violence Partnership, meets regularly throughout the year to raise awareness about domestic violence and discuss the most recent education and prevention initiatives.
All domestic violence arrests in New Canaan for crimes such as Disorderly Conduct 53a-182, Violation of Protective Order 53a-223, Risk of Injury 53-21, or Assault 53a-61, are summoned to Norwalk Superior Court on the very next business morning for the first court appearance, which is also known as an “arraignment.” At this first court appearance, a brief criminal restraining / protective order hearing will take place, where the judge will be asked by the prosecutor and the alleged victim in your case to impose a domestic violence restraining order which could keep you out of your house for months.
The 3 types of New Canaan restraining orders a judge can issue are: (1) a “Full No Contact” restraining order which prohibits any contact whatsoever with the alleged victim and prevents you from returning to the victim’s home, (2) a “Full” or “Residential Stay-Away” protective order which permits contact and visitation, but forbids you from entering the residence of the protected person, or (3) a “Limited” or “Partial” restraining order—the least restrictive, which only forbids you form threatening, harassing or assaulting the protected person. As any of the best New Canaan criminal attorneys would warn you, a violation of any these criminal protective and restraining orders can result in a felony charge for 53a-223 Violation of a Criminal Protective Order. With the likelihood of at least one of these restraining orders being slapped on you by a judge at your New Canaan domestic violence arrest arraignment, it is critical to consider having a top New Canaan domestic violence criminal lawyer by your side at the restraining order hearing. With the risks of being removed from your home for months, or being prohibited from having any contact with your spouse or children, you should not take the chances of going it alone—any of the best New Canaan criminal attorneys can effectively guide you through a New Canaan domestic violence arrest and arraignment, and protect your constitutional rights at the same time.
New Canaan Connecticut Domestic Violence Victim Representation
If you are a victim of a New Canaan Connecticut domestic violence arrest, you may avail yourself of many resources offered by the Norwalk Superior Court system. The Domestic Violence Crisis Center (DVCC) offers free counseling, as well as the free services of DVCC Victim Advocates who can assist you through the criminal court process, advocate your concerns to the domestic violence prosecutor and judge, as well as keep you informed of the developments in the criminal case. As a victim in a New Canaan domestic violence arrest case, you are also entitled to hire a top New Canaan Domestic Violence Victim’s Rights lawyer to be your voice in court, to either help you keep a restraining order in place, or work with your spouse’s lawyer to try and get a restraining order lifted or relaxed. And if the criminal court is not getting you the relief you are looking for, a top New Canaan Connecticut victim lawyer can work with you to apply for a New Canaan civil restraining order which asks the court for immediate protection without getting the police involved. Nonetheless, in any of these scenarios, a top New Canaan Connecticut Domestic Violence Victim lawyer attorney can make the process go more smoothly for you.
New Canaan Speeding Tickets & New Canaan Cell Phone Tickets
Many New Canaan Police Department patrol officers spend a great part of their day handling motor vehicle issues. This means that these patrol officers devote most of their working hours observing drivers, enforcing Speeding CGS 14-219, DUI / DWI 14-227a, Cell Phone and Distracted Driving laws CGS 14-296aa, and other moving violation cases. New Canaan police and prosecutors believe that the New Canaan Police Department’s aggressive traffic enforcement unit not only keeps the roads safe, but also prevents other crimes because motorists know that there is always a good chance of being stopped on New Canaan roads.
But as the best New Canaan speeding ticket lawyers have learned, it’s important to understand the consequences of pleading guilty by mail to your New Canaan speeding tickets and cell phone tickets, especially as the impact these guilty pleas by mail have on your driving record and car insurance premiums. If you are interested in fighting a New Canaan speeding ticket, or New Canaan cell phone ticket, you should call a top New Canaan Speeding ticket lawyer or top New Canaan cell phone ticket attorney. To fight these tickets, you will have to report to Norwalk Superior Court, which has a reputation of aggressively enforcing speeding and cell phone ticket laws. Going to court to fight a New Canaan Speeding ticket can be very time-consuming and can also be very costly. However, if you hire a top New Canaan Connecticut Speeding and Cell Phone ticket attorney, you may not have to come to court depending on the circumstances of your case. Similarly, if you are arrested in New Canaan for DUI / DWI (Driving while Intoxicated) or Reckless Driving, you should contact a top New Canaan Criminal lawyer to discuss your options.
The New Canaan Police Department
The New Canaan Police Department’s headquarters is located at 174 South Avenue, New Canaan, Connecticut 06840. There are approximately 50 sworn officers on the force who have successfully completed the demanding selection process, which includes a written test, an oral test, an examination of physical fitness, a psychological evaluation, a lie detector test, extensive background checks, and an oral examination. Even after the recruitment process, the officers undertake various forms of additional training each year to remain qualified to serve on the force. There are always 5 to 8 of these highly trained officers on duty during each shift.
The New Canaan Police Department participates in Project Lifesaver International. This program, now utilized by an overwhelming majority of states, was established in order to train law enforcement in tracking individuals who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, autism and other serious mental health conditions. In addition to providing officers with an understanding of the different diseases that affect at-risk individuals, the program involves training officers in the use of various technologies in order to prevent the negative consequences of wandering by at-risk individuals.
Other New Canaan Police Department Services
The New Canaan Police Department has also instituted a Child Identification Program. Through this program, police officers provide participating parents with a packet of information concerning their child that would be useful in cases where their child has been lost or abducted. The information gathered for the parents, includes the child’s personal and medical information and recent photos and fingerprints. Another child safety-related service provided by the New Canaan Police Department is child safety seat installation. The Department has officers who are certified in installing child safety seats that are available by appointment to assist you with the installation of your child’s safety seat.
New Canaan High School Arrests & Expulsion / Discipline Proceedings
New Canaan High School is the only public high school in the Town of New Canaan. It is considered one of the top-performing high schools in Connecticut and has an approximate enrollment of 1300 students in Grades 9 through 12.
In 2007, New Canaan High School became one of the first Fairfield County towns to benefit from the services of a dedicated School Resource Officer (SRO). The SRO is a sworn member of the New Canaan Police Department who works exclusively and full-time at New Canaan High School, speaking to students, attending school events, and building relationships with students with the goal of keeping them out of the type of trouble that necessitates police or court intervention. The SRO enforces the law when needed. In situations that do require an arrest, the New Canaan Police Department prefers dispatching a New Canaan police officer to New Canaan High School that is not the SRO to effect the arrest, so as not to compromise the role of the SRO as a safety counselor and mentor to the students.
When an arrest at New Canaan High School is necessary, the student will typically be referred to the Stamford Juvenile Court if the student is under 18. If the student is 18 or over, then the case is adjudicated in the adult criminal court located at Norwalk Superior Court. A student’s arrest at New Canaan High School may also trigger serious school disciplinary proceedings, such as suspension and expulsion proceedings. Therefore if you are arrested at New Canaan High School, or if you are facing school expulsion proceedings at New Canaan High School, you should contact a top New Canaan juvenile lawyer or a top New Canaan school discipline and New Canaan school expulsion lawyer to assist you through the process. There are technical legal arguments which could materially help your case and successfully fight your expulsion from New Canaan High School. So if you are arrested at New Canaan High School or are facing New Canaan school discipline or expulsion, call any of the best New Canaan juvenile criminal lawyers or a top New Canaan Connecticut school expulsion lawyer for assistance. There are many ways to effect a compromise with the school system—so it’s important for you to fully understand your rights under Connecticut juvenile law and Connecticut education law.
New Canaan Juvenile Delinquency Arrests Report to Stamford Juvenile Court
If your child is under 18 and is arrested in New Canaan, then you and your child will likely be summoned to appear in Juvenile Court in the Stamford Superior Court. For minor crimes, the New Canaan Police will sometimes retain the case and ask if you are interested in submitting your child’s case to the Peer / Judicial Review Board, which stresses alcohol, drug and youth education rather than referring you to Juvenile Court for judicial intervention. While this is the most ideal resolution for a juvenile arrest in New Canaan Connecticut, these referrals do not take place often, so contact a top New Canaan criminal attorney to learn if this is even a viable option for your child’s case.
The Connecticut juvenile court system is different than the adult division in the Superior Courts, in that the entire process is confidential and unavailable to the public. The courtroom is closed, and all New Canaan juvenile arrest and court records are statutorily sealed. Although the New Canaan and Stamford juvenile court system is often a more lenient process than the adult criminal court system, it can also be a more complicated and onerous process for child defendants and their families, due to the lengthy periods of supervision, probation, drug testing, and home confinement that may be involved. It is therefore worth considering being accompanied by a top New Canaan or Stamford Connecticut juvenile criminal lawyer to assist you with your child’s New Canaan juvenile arrest. They will advocate on your child’s behalf in Stamford Juvenile Court for the least restrictive conditions of probation, so that your New Canaan child is not set up to fail by a too onerous sentence in juvenile court.
The New Canaan Outback – New Canaan’s Teen Youth Center
One unique resource and safe haven for New Canaan teenagers is The Outback, a teen center established exclusively for New Canaan high school and middle school students that offers a wide variety of social and educational events and classes. It is an alcohol and substance free community center that hosts parties, cooking classes, lectures, yoga classes and parent events throughout the school year and summer months. These programs are designed to prevent arrests in New Canaan for Possession of Alcohol by a Minor CGS 30-89 or Felony Distributing Alcohol to Minors CGS 30-86, among other crimes. The Outback is operated by community leaders, parents, and even a Student Governing Board. The programs are super-popular and always well-attended. As a result, the New Canaan Outback has thrived as a social hub for New Canaan’s teenagers year and year. Click here for more information on the New Canaan Outback Center.
The New Canaan Criminal Lawyers at the Mark Sherman Law Firm
So while there’s thankfully not much crime in the Town of New Canaan, it is always a good idea to know how to contact a New Canaan criminal lawyer if you are arrested in New Canaan for DUI / DWI 14-227a, Disorderly Conduct, a New Canaan Domestic Violence crime, or Criminal Mischief. The criminal lawyers at Mark Sherman Law understand that an arrest in a small town like New Canaan can be humiliating and very damaging to your personal and professional reputations. So if you want to fight your New Canaan arrest as well as try and remove the online reports of your New Canaan arrest from the internet, contact a Mark Sherman Law New Canaan criminal lawyer today to discuss your options. Our goal is results. We will craft the most cost-effective defense strategy for your New Canaan arrest and work quickly to get you the best result we can under the circumstances of your case. Call us.