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Recent Blog Posts
New Bill Would Raise the Juvenile Age of Arrest from 10 to 14
A 47-year-old man tells the story of his first arrest in Connecticut at age 12 for selling drugs. He was arrested again at ages 13, 14, and 16, spending time at a juvenile detention center in Middletown. At age 18, he was sent to an adult prison.
A proposed bill that would raise the age under which a child can be arrested to age 12 by 2026 and age 14 by 2028, would also prohibit law enforcement from handcuffing a juvenile under the age of 14. Connecticut lawmakers passed a bill in 2021 that raised the age at which a juvenile could be arrested from seven years old to 10 years old.
If your child is being charged with a juvenile criminal offense, it is extremely important that you speak to a knowledgeable Stamford, CT juvenile crimes attorney. Juvenile crimes are very different from adult crimes, and your child needs an attorney who has a thorough understanding of the current juvenile justice system in Connecticut.
Is a CT Motorcycle DUI the Same as a Passenger Vehicle DUI?
About 30 percent of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve an impaired driver. DUI is a serious matter across the U.S. and in Connecticut. Unfortunately, as is the case with many issues, in an effort to stop drunk driving, the police and prosecutors have become overzealous in some instances. A driver may end up with a DUI because he or she has medical issues that prevented the successful completion of field sobriety tests or a breathalyzer test.
If you wonder whether motorcyclists can be charged with DUI, the answer is "absolutely." That said, a much lower percentage of motorcyclists are actually charged with DUI when compared to drivers. The reasons for this could be that riding a motorcycle requires specific skills, concentration, and awareness, which are all qualities that can be significantly compromised by alcohol or drugs. A severely impaired motorcyclist would be unable to ride without almost immediately tipping over, making motorcycles at least somewhat self-limiting for intoxicated riders.
How Serious is a Juvenile Charge for Street Takeover?
A recent street takeover turned violent when the crowd turned on an officer and his vehicle. There were between 50 and 100 people, many of them juveniles, in the street, along with dozens of cars driving erratically. The crowd threw objects, including a traffic cone, at the police officer while he was in his cruiser, breaking the front windshield. When more officers arrived, the crowd began to disperse.
While there were no serious injuries, police are investigating and beginning to make arrests. In prior street takeovers across the state, there were a significant number of juveniles arrested and charged with such offenses as interfering with a police officer, first-degree riot, and unlawful assembly.
Although these are generally misdemeanor charges (unless someone is injured), they can cause serious problems for a juvenile now and in the future. If your child has taken part in a street takeover and is now facing criminal charges, it is extremely important that you speak to an experienced Stamford, CT juvenile crimes lawyer as quickly as possible.
Why Are Title Searches and Title Insurance So Important?
If you are considering purchasing a home, it is extremely important that you have a title search done on the property. Even when the person you are dealing with is someone you trust, there may have been title issues when that person bought the property that he or she is unaware of. Many real estate contracts require a title search, but even if yours does not, it is an important step in protecting your purchase.
A title search examines public records related to a specific property, including the history of the property’s ownership. Title searches are usually performed by a real estate attorney who examines the records for any potential problems, including omissions or errors. If any title defects are found, both parties are given the opportunity to remedy these title defects or, in some cases, to void the transaction if no solution can be reached.
Could I Go to Jail for Driving on a Suspended License?
If your driver’s license has been suspended as a result of a DUI or because you have accrued too many points on your driving record, you may think it is not a big deal to drive your car to necessary places like your job and to run errands. After all, you are always careful, so what could go wrong? Unfortunately, there are plenty of things that can go wrong.
You could inadvertently escalate your situation from an already difficult one to one that ends with you sitting in jail. Driving without a license in Connecticut is a serious offense, and many traffic violations are much more serious than you might think. If you are facing charges of driving without a license, contact an experienced Stamford, CT traffic violation attorney as quickly as possible to minimize the short and long-term consequences.
What Can Cause the Loss of a Driver’s License?
While a DUI or having too many points on one’s driver’s license may be the most common reasons a driver could have his or her license suspended or revoked, there are other reasons as well. A person who moves to the state of Connecticut from another state has only 30 days to obtain a Connecticut driver’s license; failure to do so could result in a violation for failure to have a valid driver’s license. There are many more driving and even non-driving violations that can result in the suspension of a Connecticut driver’s license, including:
How Serious Is a Shoplifting Conviction in Connecticut?
Police are searching for the so-called "Seafood Shoplifter" in Granby, CT. Allegedly, the man loaded up a shopping cart at Geissler’s Supermarket on a Sunday afternoon and left without paying. Even though the shopping cart reportedly contained a large amount of shrimp, the value of the shoplifted items would not likely exceed the $500 limit, making the offense a Class C misdemeanor.
While a Class C misdemeanor conviction for shoplifting may not be the worst thing in the world, if the judge imposes the potential three-month jail sentence, it could become a real problem. In some cases, shoplifting is entirely unintended; perhaps you had something small in your basket and did not see it when the items were scanned.
Facing State Embezzlement Charges in Connecticut
An Ellington, CT woman was recently charged with fraud and tax offenses stemming from an embezzlement scheme. The woman was employed as a bookkeeper and office manager at a law firm for twelve years. During that time, she allegedly generated hundreds of false checks to herself, forging the owner’s signature. The woman is accused of embezzling more than $580,000 in these false checks and more than $250,000 from stealing cash rental payments made to the owner of the law firm.
Embezzlement is considered a "white-collar crime," which generally means that crimes under this umbrella are not violent and do not cause physical harm to others. Embezzlement is the most common form of white-collar crime, which involves taking another person’s personal property after it has been entrusted to you – typically in the form of money misappropriation.
What is Negligent Homicide with a Motor Vehicle?
After a warrant was issued for his arrest, a truck driver turned himself in for a collision in 2024 that left another truck driver dead. The accident happened a little over a year ago on I-84 E, near exit 72 in Union, Connecticut. Witnesses to the accident say the man’s tractor-trailer crossed into the right lane from the center lane, colliding with another tractor-trailer, whose driver veered off the road and into Morey Pond, submerging the tractor-trailer.
The man who caused the accident was standing on the side of the roadway when the police arrived, but the other driver was pronounced dead at the scene. After watching dash cam footage from both trucks, the police determined who the at-fault driver was and issued the arrest warrant. After turning himself in, the man who caused the accident was charged with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle, failure to maintain a lane, and providing a false statement.
Negligent homicide with a motor vehicle occurs when a person dies because of another driver’s negligent operation of a vehicle. This means that a driver deviated from reasonable conduct he or she should have exhibited under the circumstances. If you have been charged with negligent homicide with a motor vehicle, it is important that you speak to a knowledgeable Stamford, CT criminal defense attorney as soon as possible after the accident.
Housing Affordability Addressed by Connecticut Legislature
It’s that time of year once again – the time when Connecticut lawmakers discuss low vacancy rates, high rents, home ownership becoming increasingly out of reach for many, and the rise in homelessness. While it is a yearly discussion, little has been done about the issue from one year to the next.
Like many states, Connecticut clearly has a housing problem, and residents are beginning to wonder if their elected lawmakers will ever really dig in and make much-needed changes. If you are contemplating a real estate purchase or sale, it is always a good idea to have an experienced Stamford, CT real estate attorney by your side to avoid many of the pitfalls that are commonly seen in real estate dealings.
Why Are There Ongoing Housing Affordability Issues in the State?
The issue seems to come down to arguments between housing advocates as opposed to "local control" champions, as the local land use authorities continually stand in the way. There is no lack of capital to finance housing developments and no lack of building materials. There are plenty of architects, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and structural engineers necessary. And there is certainly no lack of demand.
Home Invasion Charges Can Carry Significant Penalties
A case dating back to 2022 recently ended with a man who posed as an Amazon worker while committing a home invasion being sentenced to ten years in prison. In January 2022, two men dressed as Amazon workers were captured on a home security camera as they appeared to make a delivery at a home on Naugatuck Avenue in Milford.
When the door opened, the two men forced their way into the home, struggling with the victim as they beat and pistol-whipped him, then bound him with duct tape while they ransacked the home, leaving with more than $50,000 in jewelry. In this case, the defendant pled guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, suspended after serving 10 years, followed by five years of probation.
Under Connecticut laws, home invasion is the most serious burglary offense and is charged as a Class A felony. While this is a serious crime with serious penalties, being charged with a criminal offense does not necessarily mean a conviction and sentence. When you have an aggressive legal advocate in your corner, the outcome can be very different, and one mistake does not have to destroy your life. A Stamford, CT criminal defense attorney will protect your rights and future to the extent possible.
The Law Offices of Daniel P. Weiner in Stamford, Connecticut serves clients in Greenwich, Norwalk, New Canaan, Darien, Westport, Bridgeport, Fairfield, Danbury, Wilton and clients throughout Fairfield County and across Connecticut (CT).
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