Rowayton Criminal Lawyer
An experienced Rowayton criminal lawyer could ensure you understand every element of the charges against you, walk you through your options for contesting them and work tirelessly on your behalf to secure a positive resolution to your case.
What is the Difference Between a Violation, a Misdemeanor, and a Felony?
The Connecticut General Statutes are home to all of the crimes in the state. This code sorts criminal offenses into one of three categories (violations, misdemeanors, felonies) based on their perceived severity and applicable punishments upon conviction. According to Connecticut General Statutes §53a-25, any offense punishable by greater than one year of imprisonment is a felony. Conversely, C.G.S. §53a-26 defines offenses punishable by less than a year of imprisonment as misdemeanors. Finally, any offense punishable only by a fine and never by a jail or prison term of any length is known as a violation, as per C.G.S. §53a-27.
What do the Different Classes Mean?
These statutes also lay out several subcategories—or “classes”—of felonies and misdemeanors that individual offenses may fall into, each of which allows for a different tier of punishments upon conviction. C.G.S. §53a-35a establishes the maximum—and in some cases, minimum—terms of imprisonment that a person convicted of a particular class of felony may face, while C.G.S. §53a-36 does the same for misdemeanors.
How Can I Know What Penalties I Face?
C.G.S. §§53a-41 and 53a-42 respectively establish potential fines upon conviction for various classifications of felonies and misdemeanors, ranging in value from $250 for a class D misdemeanor to $20,000 for a class A felony. A Rowayton criminal defense attorney could go into more detail during a private consultation about what a particular charge’s classification might mean in terms of applicable sanctions.
What Legal Counsel Could Do to Help?
Of course, explaining the basic elements of particular offenses and the repercussions they could lead to is far from the most important way that a private defense attorney could help someone facing criminal charges in Connecticut. Even before any charges are actually filed, representation from seasoned legal counsel could be crucial to ensuring that law enforcement authorities stay within the boundaries of the law while investigating an alleged criminal act, as well as to preventing a potential defendant from inadvertently harming their future defense strategy.
Once the state of Connecticut actually begins pursuing charges against a Rowayton resident, their defense attorney’s role becomes even more important, as they will generally take the lead on collecting exculpatory evidence and constructing a compelling defense. Finally, a skilled legal professional may be able to work with prosecutors and judges to ensure a fair trial, or potentially even negotiate a plea bargain.
Contact a Rowayton Criminal Attorney Today
If you have any questions about your case and what defense strategies could be helpful in your situation, a Rowayton criminal lawyer could address them during a private consultation. Click here to read our hundreds of reviews on Avvo.com. Then, call today to set up a consultation.