Fairfield Domestic Violence Penalties

In Connecticut, domestic violence is often known as family violence, and both terms refer to violent criminal acts that take place between people who live together or share a family or dating relationship, either currently or in the past.

Because Fairfield does not have a criminal courthouse of its own, all domestic violence arrests report to Bridgeport Superior Court on Golden Hill Avenue.

As any of the best domestic violence attorneys appreciate, many offenses fit within the spectrum of domestic violence crimes. While it would be nearly impossible to list all of them and their corresponding potential penalties, some of the most common Fairfield domestic violence penalties and crimes are described briefly below.

What Are The Penalties For Threatening?

A domestic violence situation often initiates with threats from one or more parties involved. Connecticut law sets forth two separate degrees of threatening arrests. Second-degree threatening occurs when an individual uses physical threats or threatens to commit a crime with the intention of putting someone else in fear of imminent harm.

This offense is a Class A misdemeanor in most cases and is therefore punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. If the individual uses or threatens to use a firearm as part of the threat, even if there is no such weapon present, the crime elevates to a first degree threatening arrest.

In addition, if the threat of violence or the use of a hazardous substance is made with the intent to cause evacuation of a public space, the offense becomes threatening in the first-degree, Fairfield domestic violence penalties include a Class D felony punishable by up to five years imprisonment and a fine of up to $5,000.

Harassment Arrests

Criminal law firms can explain that first-degree harassment arrests occur when a threat to kill or physically harm another is intentionally communicated via electronic means or some form of writing. This is a Class D felony with a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine as high as $5,000. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-182b.)

Second-degree harassment charges and penalties in Fairfield are more common and involve communications that either include obscenity or are intended to annoy, harass or alarm another person. This offense is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to three months in jail and a fine of up to $500.

Stalking Arrests

As with assault, the crime of stalking is also broken down into three degrees of severity, with the added crime of electronic stalking. Most of these offenses are misdemeanors, but a repeat conviction will turn the offense into a felony. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-181c.)

Third-Degree Assault Charges

There are three different degrees of assault in Connecticut, as well as numerous specified additional assault offenses. They all generally involve intentionally or recklessly causing injury to another. First-degree assault is the most serious and is often referred to as assault with a deadly weapon.

What Are The Penalties for First Degree Assault?

Assault in the first degree is a Class B felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison, with a minimum sentence of between one and five years depending on the circumstances. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-59.) Assault of a pregnant woman that causes termination of the pregnancy is a Class A felony with maximum fines up to $20,000 and a prison sentence of 10 to 25 years.

Second-Degree Assault

Second-degree assault is now considered a Class C felony if the injury resulting is serious. Those convicted face between one and 10 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000. If the injury is not deemed serious, then the offense is a Class D felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine as high as $5,000. Third-degree assault is generally treated as a Class A misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-61.) Someone facing penalties for any type of domestic violence charge in Fairfield should work with a trusted attorney to help protect their future.

Work With a Fairfield Attorney to Limit the Impact of Domestic Violence Penalties

The list of charges above are simplified and is far from complete. To get a full picture of the applicable domestic violence crimes and their respective penalties, consult a defense attorney with extensive experience in domestic violence cases today. If you face Fairfield domestic violence penalties, speak with our team. Contact us today and know that you are in capable hands.