Posted on April 15, 2025 in Criminal Defense

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:

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 Posted on April 07, 2025 in Theft and Property Crimes

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.

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 Posted on March 27, 2025 in White Collar Crimes

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.

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 Posted on March 20, 2025 in Criminal Defense

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.

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 Posted on March 12, 2025 in Real Estate Law

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.

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 Posted on March 06, 2025 in Theft and Property Crimes

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.  

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 Posted on February 24, 2025 in Violent Crimes

If you are being charged with assault, battery, domestic abuse, or certain other criminal offenses, your defense to the charges may be that you acted in self-defense. You may have been defending yourself, a loved one, or your property. The question will arise as to whether you used a "reasonable" amount of force during your act of self-defense, particularly since Connecticut has no "stand your ground" law.

Connecticut laws surrounding self-defense are complex, involving several factual requirements that must be met in order to be successful in your claim that you acted in self-defense. It is important that you have an experienced Stamford, CT criminal defense attorney who will aggressively defend your right to self-defense.  

No Stand Your Ground Law Requires Retreat When Possible

Law enforcement and prosecutors in the state will often challenge the level of force used by a person claiming self-defense by deeming it excessive and unreasonable. Under Connecticut law, you may only use a reasonable level of force and cannot use deadly force if you can avoid doing so by retreating or surrendering possession to property the aggressor of the incident claims to own.

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 Posted on February 20, 2025 in Real Estate Law

In January 2025, home prices across Connecticut were up 10 percent over last year, with a median price of $415,800. There were 2,419 homes sold in January 2025, with the average number of days on the market at 51. The number of homes for sale fell by 14.7 percent.

As the largest purchase made by most people during their lifetimes, buying a home can be exciting and terrifying at the same time. It can also be full of unexpected costs. You may have saved for a long time to ensure you had a down payment when the perfect home came along. What you may not have expected is the many "extra" expenses associated with real estate transactions.

These include an array of closing costs, private mortgage insurance, and other expenses that can be decreased or eliminated. There are three phases in your home buying experience, and all three have associated costs that can be minimized. Speaking to a Stamford, CT real estate attorney can not only make the process go much more smoothly, but it can also save you money.  

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 Posted on February 13, 2025 in Criminal Defense

Being arrested and criminally charged can be devastating. You may feel overwhelmed, unsure of what you need to do to protect yourself and your future, and even frightened that you could end up behind bars. Criminal convictions do not just bring judicial penalties. There are almost always collateral consequences as well, particularly for felony convictions.

A conviction for a criminal offense can result in difficulty securing employment, problems finding affordable housing, an inability to obtain a professional license or a government student loan, social stigma, financial difficulties, and much more. While it is understandable that you may feel like your world is in a free fall after your arrest, try to remember that not all arrests result in convictions.

Most criminal charges – as high as 90 percent – conclude with a plea bargain rather than a trial. The prosecutor may have a weak case, there may have been errors committed by the police, or the defendant may be a first-time offender with a clean record, which makes the prosecutor more likely to offer a deal.

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 Posted on February 06, 2025 in White Collar Crimes

A Chester man was sentenced to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release for an embezzlement scheme that involved stealing money from his employer between January 2016 and December 2023. The man would arrive at work before other employees, disconnect the cables from the servers that captured views of the safe, open the safe, and take thousands of dollars in cash, then reconnect the ethernet cables. The cash was then deposited into the man’s personal bank accounts.

Over the course of seven years, the man and his former spouse made 287 cash deposits of stolen money, totaling nearly $2 million into his personal bank accounts. The man also failed to report the stolen income on his personal income taxes, resulting in tax evasion charges in addition to embezzlement charges. The man pled guilty to the charges and reported to prison on January 6, 2025. In addition to prison and probation, he was ordered to pay restitution of $2,062,580 and to pay $436,178 in taxes to the IRS.  

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