Stamford Third-Degree Assault Trials

Stamford third-degree assault trials follow the accusation or arrest of someone for the assault or battery of another person. Because third-degree assault is a serious offense, attorneys may try to seek out counseling for the accused as an alternative to sentencing. Another suggestion an experienced third-degree assault attorney may have is the Family Violence Education Program and upon successful completion of it, they can get the charge dismissed.

What is the Trial Process for Third-Degree Assault?

The process for Stamford third-degree assault trials typically begins with entering a plea. The defendant waits for it to be called for trial in about a year or a year and a half. The timeline for a trial process in Stamford includes waiting for about a year or a year and a half for it to take place. When it does, it will take about two weeks to pick a jury and conduct the trial. Alternatives to trial for a third-degree assault case is attending the Family Violence Education Program and having the case dropped, or pleading guilty.

What Are the Charging Documents?

There are a lot of documents generated during the meeting in preparation for a potential trial. The first one is the representation agreement, next is the payment document, and then witness statements and any attorney work product to be used at trial.

Charging documents are called information that the prosecutor uses to file a formal charge for a crime and start the criminal justice process. The charging document in Stamford conveys the place, time, and manner in which the defendant allegedly committed the crime.

It is important to examine the charging document before Stamford third-degree assault trials so a person knows exactly what the prosecutor is accusing. If the prosecutor fails to prove what is in the charging document, the prosecution will lose the trial.

Communicating with the Accuser

A person accused of domestic violence third-degree assault should be very aware that anything they say to the alleged victim is going to make it back to the prosecutor. Depending on what they say, they can be charged with tampering with the alleged victim. A criminal defense lawyer can act as an intermediary by delivering sentiments from the defendant to the accuser and being a bridge between the two to try and smooth everything over.

Outlining of the Initial Meeting with an Attorney

The general outline of the initial meeting between a lawyer and someone accused of domestic violence third-degree assault begins with the accused telling the lawyer everything they know about the case, and what the police or anybody else said to them. The lawyer may then ask follow-up questions and gets the person into a treatment program as soon as possible.

A lawyer can help a person understand their legal documents for court for a third-degree assault charge by walking them through the different outcomes, the likelihood of each, what is best for them in their life at that time.

Why Should the Accused Try to

Besides the evidence, the next most compelling factor to a jury in a third-degree assault case is the attorney having a good relationship with the jury and understanding trial dynamics. An emotional aggressive outburst can reflect very poorly on a person in court. Most likely, it will annoy the judge, who might raise their bond or put them in jail. If it is in front of a jury, they could take it as a sign of guilt.

Importance of Relating to the Jury

It is very important for the defendant to maintain their composure during a court proceeding and keep their emotions in check because members of the jury watch everything the defendant does and they are judging them. The jurists can misinterpret an emotional outburst as admitting guilt. It also could make the judge very angry and the defendant could wind up in jail. It is always important to identify with the jury as much as possible because they are the people who determine credibility. The more they identify with a person, the more they are likely to believe that person and less likely to convict them.

Reasons for Contacting an Attorney

Making assumptions about a case and what is going to be in the charging document exposes a person to being surprised and unprepared at trial, and that could hurt their case. It is very important to discuss any statements made by the client to the police because those statements can be used by the accused at trial. The police write everything the person says in the report that later will come up during Stamford third-degree assault trials. Inconsistencies in statements are always helpful for the client in a third-degree charge in Stamford. The more inconsistencies there are in the statements, the less believable they are to a jury.