Preparing for Court for Greenwich Disorderly Conduct Charges
Preparing for court for Greenwich disorderly conduct charges can be challenging. For the best outcome, reach out to a skilled disorderly conduct attorney, as it is a task best undertaken with the help of a professional.
Meeting with a Family Relations Office
If someone is arrested for disorderly conduct or another domestic violence crime in Greenwich, they will be meeting with the family relations office in Stamford Superior Court. That meeting will take place the morning of their first court date before they even go into the courtroom. They will have to meet with the family relations officer.
It is important that people understand that they are able to share everything with the prosecutor and with the court, in general. After the court gathers background information on the person being charged and the complaining parties, they often will ask the person about the actual allegations. They want to know if anything like this has happened before, if the person has any criminal record–especially for something related to domestic violence–and their feedback on the actual allegations in the case.
Family Relations Officers
Family relations officers are officers of the court and they report back to the judge and prosecutor. During that meeting, the officer will get background information on the person as well as on the complaining person. Nothing that happens in the meeting is confidential: everything can be shared with the judge.
When the meeting happens, the family relations officer will usually already have the police report, so they already know what the police are saying, what the complaining individual is going to testify to, and any statements by any witnesses or accusers. This is one of the first steps in preparing for court for Greenwich disorderly conduct charges.
Making Admissions on the Record
Any conversation with the family relations office is not confidential. Since the officers are often very nice, a lot of people feel comfortable and start making admissions about their behavior to the family relations office that can actually end up helping to prove them guilty.
A lot of times people want to explain their side of the story. Perhaps they did not start the fight, or they contend that the whole incident is a misunderstanding. Without meaning to, they may be incriminating themselves.
Likelihood of Bond
If the person has a clean criminal record, a lot of times they will be released for a nominal bond amount for a promise to appear. In cases where the person is deemed to be a threat to public safety or to the accuser or if they have a criminal history, especially for domestic violence or not showing up to court, the bail commissioner may recommend a higher bond amount.
If it is someone who is a potential public safety threat or a flight risk, then at the arraignment, the bail commissioner might also recommend that the person has to either call the bail office or physically come into the bail office on a regular basis. In some cases they even recommend a GPS bracelet be put on a person’s ankle.
Potential Defense Strategies
Usually, the person alleging the conduct will speak with their counsel the morning of the first court date. A lot of times the defense can contest what they are saying in a number of ways. For instance, by showing a past history between the two, by showing that the charges are not serious enough to warrant a high protective order, or by indicating nothing physical took place.
If there is a pending divorce or custody dispute, it is important to inform the judge. This is because often times divorce and custody cases get intertwined with the criminal justice system even though they do not belong. Often experienced Greenwich defense lawyers can bring up outside issues that are influencing what the accuser is saying.
How a Lawyer Can Help Prevent Self-Incrimination
It is always good to see a lawyer before going into a meeting with the Family Relations Office to make sure not to say anything that could be a lot more harmful to the case and to understand that nothing is confidential.
The same thing goes for admissions on the record. Often, people will want to tell the judge their side of the story on that first court date. For example, that it was all a misunderstanding. Without realizing it they may be making admissions to the judge with the prosecutor present that they are guilty of the crime. It is always best to let the person’s lawyer do the talking and not to offer any statements without first checking with the lawyer.
An experienced attorney will be well-equipped to help with the process of preparing for court for Greenwich disorderly conduct charges. They can guide and advise you throughout, working to achieve the best outcome possible and helping you avoid common pitfalls along the way.