Building a Defense in Westport Disorderly Conduct Cases

When it comes to building a defense in Westport disorderly conduct cases, your first course of action should be to speak with a top legal professional. A knowledgeable disorderly conduct defense attorney can work with you to collect exculpatory evidence and build a strong defense strategy based on your unique circumstances.

What Are Some Statutory Defenses to Disorderly Conduct Charges?

The definition of disorderly conduct provided by Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) §53a-182 is rather broad regarding what actions and behaviors constitute a criminal offense. While the statute specifically lists actions like blocking traffic, starting a fight in public, or being a “peeping tom” on someone else’s property, it also allows law enforcement officers to arrest anyone they deem to have caused “inconvenience, annoyance, or alarm” to another person.

In practice, this means that people in Westport are often arrested and charged with disorderly conduct based solely on the judgement of the law enforcement officer who responded to a 911 call or domestic disturbance. Fortunately, convictions are much harder to justify than arrests in Connecticut, even for crimes as vaguely defined as this one.

As part of a defense against disorderly conduct charges in Westport, a dedicated defense attorney lawyer can collect evidence that may contradict the official account. Depending on the circumstances, this could include witness testimony, security camera footage, and electronic messages.

Is Mediating Domestic Violence Disorderly Conduct Arrests an Option?

If you are accused of targeting a family or household member with disorderly conduct, your offense may be classified as domestic violence. For these types of disorderly conduct cases in Westport, defense strategies need to be constructed somewhat differently, with not only criminal penalties in mind but personal consequences as well.

The simplest solution to a domestic violence disorderly conduct is arguing before a court that the alleged domestic violence issue simply did not exist, which—if successful—can lead to charges being dropped entirely. In other cases, it may be possible to have disorderly conduct charges dropped by mediating whatever domestic dispute led to the charges in the first place.

Can I Get Disorderly Conduct Charges Dropped?

One way you can potentially get your charges dropped is to apply for, and get accepted into, the Family Violence Education Program. Run by the state of Connecticut, this program is designed to help domestic violence offenders with anger management through several in-person classes and six to 24 months of monitoring. If you successfully complete the program, your charges will be dismissed. A Westport attorney lawyer can help build a strong argument on your behalf to present to the court to persuade the judge to grant the program.

Work with an Attorney Lawyer to Contest Disorderly Conduct Charges in Westport

Getting charged with disorderly conduct can be incredibly disruptive to your daily life, especially if it is associated with domestic violence as well. Defending your rights and best interests should be your top priority in this situation, as should retaining dedicated legal counsel to help you do so.

With a knowledgeable attorney lawyer by your side, you should have a much easier time building a strong defense in your Westport disorderly conduct case. Then, call Mark Sherman Law today to learn more or to set up an initial meeting with a legal representative.

Live Chat