First-Time Third-Degree Domestic Assault Arrests in Greenwich

As defined by Greenwich criminal law, third-degree assault in the third degree in Connecticut is any kind of contact with another person, whether a slap or a punch or anything that does not cause a serious physical injury. Bruises and red marks commonly fall under assault in the third degree. There is no statute specifically for domestic violence, meaning individuals cannot get charged with both domestic violence and assault charges. For more information on how someone can face first-time third-degree domestic assault arrests in Greenwich, they should contact a distinguished assault attorney.

Defining Domestic Relationships

In first-time third-degree domestic assault arrests in Greenwich, the law designates people that are either roommates, people that currently are or previously were in a dating relationship, and children and parents. The most common assault in the third-degree charges seen in Greenwich is related to domestic violence. This is because people that are strangers on the street probably are not engaging in fighting the way that family members or spouses may within their own home. There is a direct correlation between the assault in the third-degree and domestic violence charges.

Local Criminal Laws

When assault, threatening, harassment, or similar crimes are committed, domestic violence is used as a descriptor of the relationship between the individuals and not as an actual crime. However, arrests for one of these crimes that fall within the domestic violence category will be on a separate docket in Stamford Superior Court, called the DV Docket. Domestic violence is relatively broad and covers different relationships between people and deals with any kind of assault, disorderly conduct, threatening, and in more serious cases, things like strangulation or higher degrees of assault and harassment. Those would all be considered in the domestic violence realm if it happens between spouses, significant others, parent/child, etc.

Common Misconceptions

Many times, people think that they can handle the first court date themselves and they think the situation is not serious because they only received a misdemeanor summons and did not get taken into the Greenwich Police Department or booked. Then the person gets to court and realizes that the situation is completely overwhelming and the judge is issuing conditions that, for whatever reason, are beyond their ability to manage.

Following Reports of Domestic Assault

Police officers usually conduct an investigation to assess accusations before making first-time third-degree domestic assault arrests in Greenwich. If they find that a physical altercation has occurred, usually one or both parties are arrested, issued a summons, and required to come to court on the next business day. The police also may require one party to leave the home. Law enforcement’s duty is to try to get to the bottom of what happened. In a lot of these cases, the involved parties tell different sides of the story. The Greenwich police officers do their best to determine what actually happened. They will look at whatever evidence they can find to try to corroborate one person’s story and if it appears that both parties are guilty of assault or of another crime then they can and do arrest those people regardless of who called the police.