Fighting a Disorderly Conduct Arrest in Connecticut

Disorderly Conduct is one of the most common Connecticut domestic violence arrests because it can cover a wide range of conduct. Disorderly Conduct is a seemingly minor offense that does not carry much jail time or any exorbitant fines, but it can cause significant damage to your reputation by virtue of online reports of your Connecticut Disorderly Conduct arrest and the fact that it will come up on background checks until it is dismissed, erased and expunged.

So if you are arrested for Disorderly Conduct, then you should contact a lawyer. Trying to fight these charges on your own can often result in delays and a much longer process than if you hire a top Stamford Connecticut domestic violence criminal attorney to fight your Connecticut domestic violence arrest.

What Does Disorderly Conduct Mean?

You can get arrested for Disorderly Conduct if, with the intention of annoying, inconveniencing or alarming another person, or while recklessly creating the risk of alarming or annoying another person, you fight with or threaten that person, use offensive conduct, make unreasonable noise, disturb an assembly, or obstruct traffic. The language is broad and covers even the most harmless verbal arguments between spouses and loved ones.

What Are The Penalties for Disorderly Conduct?

The Connecticut domestic violence crime of Disorderly Conduct is codified in CGS 53a-182. The crime is classified as a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to three months in jail, probation, and up to $500 in fines.

Severity of An Arrest

Your Misdemeanor Summons and Complaint for a 53a-182 Disorderly Conduct charge is NOT like a traffic ticket. You are still being charged with a misdemeanor crime, so it is important that you get your Connecticut Disorderly Conduct arrest dismissed as quickly as possible. You should also keep in mind that domestic violence cases are very different from ordinary criminal cases.

Beginning on the business morning after your arrest, you will have to fly through a gauntlet of interviews and court hearings during your Connecticut domestic violence arraignment that can be confusing and full of landmines.

Building a Defense

Your Connecticut domestic violence criminal lawyer will almost always recommend a complete review of all police reports, police notes, logs, dispatch records, 911 recordings, and witness statements for errors, omissions, inconsistencies, or constitutional shortcomings. Your attorneys will also engage in aggressive motion practice when necessary, especially at the beginning of your case, to preserve evidence such as the video and audio surveillance recordings of your domestic violence arrest at the crime scene, as well as your booking and processing at the police station.

Filing such preservation motions helps prevent the loss or destruction of this evidence prior to trial or pre-trial negotiations. Private investigators are also sometimes useful in gathering statements from witnesses, collecting evidence from social media, and for taking necessary photographs. An effective and aggressive defense is necessary no matter how minor the charges are.

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