Preparing for a Stamford Second-Degree Harassment Case

If you have been charged with harassment in the second-degree, you should contact a skilled harassment lawyer. An attorney with experience preparing for a Stamford second-degree harassment case could examine the facts and evidence of your case. They could then leverage that information along with their own knowledge and experience, to build a solid defense for you. Speak with a capable lawyer to learn more.

The Allotted Time When Preparing a Harassment Case

If someone is arrested in Stamford, CT for second- degree harassment, their first court date will be within a week or two. A criminal defense lawyer has that short amount of time to begin preparing for a Stamford second-degree harassment case, or at least for the initial court appearance. After the initial court appearance, the attorney has an additional month or two to prepare their potential client’s case, interview witnesses, collect all evidence produced by the defendant, and review the police report in more depth.

What Happens if the Alleged Victim Wants to Drop the Charges?

In the event that an alleged victim requests that the State of Connecticut drops the charges against the defendant, the State of Connecticut does not drop the charges automatically. The state takes the alleged victim’s input into consideration, but once the arrest is made and once the case is brought to court, it is the State of Connecticut versus that defendant. It is not the alleged victim versus that defendant, so the alleged victim does not have as much say regarding whether or not the case is actually going to be prosecuted. However, their input is considered by the prosecutor.

Importance of Legal Counsel’s Presence During Meetings with the Prosecution

It is important for a legal counsel to attend the first meeting between you and the prosecutor for many reasons. The main reason is that you could make an admission to the prosecutor that could harm your case, so it is important to have legal counsel there to make sure that all statements made are helpful to your case and are not going to be harmful. Legal counsel will be able to meet with the prosecutor privately without you present, which allows them to speak with more candor and to discuss the case with less emotional charge than if you were present. The attorneys can discuss the facts and possible resolutions, which makes the process move along more smoothly and allows the case to be handled more objectively.

Communication Between the Accused and the Opposing Party

While preparing for a Stamford second-degree harassment case, the accused might get the urge to communicate with their accuser. A person accused of harassment in the second-degree can communicate with an opposing party prior to any arrest occurring, though that is not recommended. Once an arrest occurs, a criminal protective order will be put into place, at which time the person accused of harassment cannot communicate with the opposing party. It is most likely that a no-contact protective order would be put into place, which would prohibit any sort of contact.

If you have been accused of second-degree harassment, you should be aware of any protective order that is in place before attempting to communicate with an alleged victim. If there is a protective order in place, you could be accused of violating the order and could face an additional felony. You should also be aware of the specifics of the allegations against you.  If you are accused of repeatedly calling the alleged victim, calling them to attempt to dispute the case may escalate the case and can lead to another arrest.

How a Stamford Second-Degree Harassment Attorney Could Help Facilitate Communication

The best way to communicate with the accused person is to have a top Stamford, CT criminal defense attorney communicate with the alleged victim or their attorney. That would stop any potential tampering with a witness or tampering with a victim charge, and the person cannot be accused of violating a protective order. An experienced legal counsel knows whether to communicate with the alleged victim directly, through the alleged victim’s advocate in court, or through their private attorney. This is one major reason that it is helpful to have legal counsel to avoid any potential charges being tacked onto a pending case.

A criminal defense lawyer could act as an intermediary between the two parties in a harassment case by speaking to the alleged victim to figure out the alleged victim’s goal and then communicating that goal to their potential client. In this way, they can try to come to an agreement between the two parties that would allow the case to be resolved by allowing the alleged victim to feel safe. If an individual wants to know more about how an attorney could help them begin preparing for a Stamford second-degree harassment case, they should call today to learn more.

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