Family Violence Education Program Following a Darien Disorderly Conduct Arrest

Typically, first-time offenders are eligible for family violence education program following a Darien disorderly conduct arrest. If a person is eligible for the program on the first court date, the Family Relations officer is often the person to suggest that as a possible solution. If the person is granted the program and the judge allows the person to complete it, the case will be dismissed once they successfully complete the classes. Individuals facing domestic violence offenses should consider the opinion of an established disorderly conduct lawyer before applying for a family violence program.

Applying for the Family Violence Education Program

An application for the family violence education program following a Darien disorderly conduct arrest cannot be withdrawn. It can also only be utilized once every ten years. If the Family decides not to take the case and they already applied, they are stuck. Also, they last for a while, so once a person is in it, it is about a two-year program, depending on the severity of the case.

A person does not automatically get the program, so it is important to speak to an attorney before applying to make sure that they are in the best position and light that they can be to the judge before making the application. Sometimes attorneys will get the individual into counseling, so they can get a ton of treatment before making the application. When the judge does finally see it, they see that this person has been proactive and working hard to avoid something like this from happening again.

What is the Role of a Family Relations Officer?

The Family Relations officer might talk to a defendant about a Family Violence Education Program. It may sound right when they are sitting there and they hear that their case will be dismissed, but it is not always the best option for defendants for a couple of reasons. Not everyone is eligible for the family violence program.

Role of an Attorney and Judge in the Disorderly Conduct Hearing

During the hearing, an attorney will offer a lot of information about the defendant when determining their eligibility for the family violence education program following a Darien disorderly conduct arrest. They will put together a comprehensive package of information and distribute it to the state’s attorney, the judge, the victim advocate, and Family Relations.

Typically, it will include character reference letters, counseling and treatment letters, any input from the Department of Children and Family, and any other documents that are helpful to showing the positives of the defendant.

The judge sees this before they make their decision. That is the other value of having an attorney on one’s side and not just applying for Family Violence Education Program on the first court date. They make sure that all of the person’s ducks are in a row and they are painted in the best light when they make the application to have the hearing.

Cooperation with Family Relations

The other question people ask is whether they have to cooperate with Family Relations during their case. If Family does end up chasing the case, a defendant should always cooperate with them. If a person is putting their best foot forward for them, they will paint the person in a different light to the judge. Attorneys often assist with people communicating with Family, facilitating the input to make sure they are accessible to the Family Relations, and demonstrating they are willing to make a change and make their case go away as quickly as possible. Also, their recommendations are heavily regarded by the court, so if a person is not cooperating with them, they are not likely to make a good recommendation to the court about whether or not the person should be entered into the program.

Are There Alternatives to Family Violence Education Programs in Darien?

Sometimes, a Family Violence Education Program is not always the best solution for someone because it lasts for two years. Once someone participates in the program, their court case stays open for two years from the start date of the program. If there is some other disposition that can be worked out with the state’s attorney and the judge, sometimes that is worth pursuing by the defendant’s attorney to make sure that the case gets closed as quickly as possible.

Sometimes a state’s attorney, depending on the facts of the case, might be willing to nolle the case if a defendant gets a certain amount of counseling or does X, Y, and Z. If the person is in the Family Violence Education Program, it will be two years long and the protective order remains in place for the duration of that period.

How a Darien Disorderly Conduct Lawyer

Typically, when a person is arrested and it is a high profile case, it will possibly catch on, especially in local towns. The Stanford Advocate, the Darien Patch, and the Darien Night will report on local arrests, DUIs, and domestic situations and put it in the paper the next day.

The value of working with a skilled disorderly conduct attorney is they could work diligently to potentially have the case dismissed. Following the potential dismissal of a case, the attorney could begin the process of having articles regarding the incident removed. They are detrimental to people who are applying for jobs or who are in their community, embarrassed by their arrest, and do not want people to know about it. Those who have been charged with disorderly conduct should consult a qualified disorderly conduct attorney. A skilled lawyer could help an individual find and participate in a family violence education program following a Darien disorderly conduct arrest.