Wilton Threat to Harm Lawyer

If you were recently charged with threatening to harm someone else, it is important that you understand what this offense constitutes under state law and what prosecutors need to do to get a conviction in court if you want to effectively contest your case. Build your defense with a Wilton threat to harm lawyer.

How is Threatening a Criminal Offense?

True threats are not protected by the First Amendment right to free speech, they can be criminally punished. Depending on the circumstances, making a credible threat to commit a violent crime or inflict physical harm on someone else can either be a misdemeanor or a felony. Under Connecticut General Statutes §53a-62, causing someone else to fear imminent physical harm through either an intentional or recklessly inadvertent verbal threat is a class A misdemeanor, for which a conviction could lead to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

However, if someone threatens someone inside a school, church, community center with religious affiliations, or day care center, the aforementioned offense of second-degree threatening becomes a class D felony, meaning a conviction could result in as many as five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. First-degree threatening, which entails making a terroristic threat or one involving the use of a hazardous substance, is also a class D felony unless it is perpetrated against one of the four locations mentioned above, in which case it is likewise escalated to a class C felony.

Either degree of threatening may incur additional consequences in family court if it is classified as domestic violence due to the targeted party being a housemate, family member, or relationship partner of the alleged perpetrator. In addition to fighting criminal charges on a defendant’s behalf, an experienced Wilton threat to harm attorney could also work to mitigate family court sanctions like protective orders and investigations from the Connecticut Department of Children and Families.

Can I Contest the Charges in Wilton?

While the definition of criminal threatening provided by state law is somewhat vaguely worded, recent court verdicts have established an important requirement that must be met for an arrest for threatening to result in a conviction. Under current court precedent, a person must have knowingly and intentionally caused someone else to fear harm in order to have committed the crime of threatening in the second or first degree.

In other words, if a person says someone as a joke that someone else incorrectly interprets as an earnest threat, it should be possible for a threat to harm attorney in Wilton to contest that individual’s charges on the grounds that they did not intend to cause any fear or harm. That being said, misunderstandings can still lead to arrests in the moment as well as short-term protective orders and other family court consequences, so it is still crucial to seek help from legal counsel in order to effectively execute this kind of defense strategy.

Discuss Legal Options with a Wilton Threat to Harm Attorney

A Wilton threat to harm lawyer could answer any questions you have about your charges and upcoming case during an initial consultation. Head over to Avvo to read our 5-star reviews from past clients and call today to discuss your options with a seasoned attorney.