Building a Defense in Norwalk Disorderly Conduct Cases
If you are accused of domestic violence related disorderly conduct, you need to work efficiently and headstrong to build a strong defense. To learn more about effectively preparing for this kind of case, speak to a qualified disorderly conduct lawyer.
How Does State Law Defines Disorderly Conduct?
According to Connecticut General Statutes §53a-182, a variety of different actions may constitute criminal disorderly conduct, including:
- Blocking traffic (vehicular or pedestrian)
- Interfering with a lawful public gathering
- Refusing to follow a police officer’s order to leave a public gathering
- Engaging in a fight or other aggressive behavior in public
- Being too loud within the public earshot
- Observing someone who had a reasonable expectation of privacy, while trespassing on that person’s property
However, this statute also allows law enforcement officers to arrest someone for disorderly conduct based on any behavior that is “offensive or disorderly” in nature. Unfortunately, this means police officers can—and do—make arrests in situations that do not involve any of the aforementioned actions.
Accordingly, building a defense in a Norwalk disorderly conduct case does not always center around disproving an allegation that a certain type of behavior occurred. Instead, a defendant may have to argue that they were not engaging in any aggressive or disruptive behavior whatsoever, or that the police officer who detained them misunderstood or exaggerated what was actually going on.
When is Disorderly Conduct Domestic Violence?
Connecticut law defines persons related to you by blood or marriage, roommates, and current or former romantic partners, amongst others as “family or household members”. If your disorderly conduct charge in Norwalk involves a person in this category, it might be characterized and prosecuted as domestic violence. To learn more about defending Norwalk domestic violence charges, click here.
What Are Some Potential Defenses and Alternative Sentencing Options?
When someone is accused of domestic violence disorderly conduct, the easiest way to get their charges resolved and their case dismissed is often simply to demonstrate to the court that there is no risk of future violence or harm to any member of the household. If a single argument was misinterpreted as a sign of long-term domestic violence, it may be possible to get disorderly conduct charges dropped after a few weeks of negotiations.
Similarly, mediation can be a good way to show good faith and resolve a dispute that led to a disorderly conduct arrest. The Family Relations Office of the court may be able to work with parties involved in a dispute and their legal representatives to ensure there are no future threats to anyone’s safety.
However, these options are usually only available to defendants without prior histories of domestic violence. A disorderly conduct defense for someone in Norwalk with a prior record of domestic violence may therefore center around admission into Connecticut’s Family Violence Education Program, which may allow criminal and family court sanctions to be replaced by anger management classes and several months of monitoring to prevent future incidents.
Talk to a Norwalk Attorney About Building a Disorderly Conduct Case Defense
Building a defense in Norwalk disorderly conduct cases is best done with professional guidance and support. Check out our certified 5-star avvo.com reviews here, and to find out how a knowledgeable lawyer in your community could help, call today at 203-258-4700.