Why Paying a Store’s Civil Demand Letter won’t make your Shoplifting Case Go AwayIf you or a family member has been arrested for shoplifting in Connecticut, you’re probably worried about more than just the criminal charge.
You’re also asking yourself:
Strangulation — What You Need to Know if You Were ArrestedIf you were arrested for strangulation in Connecticut, you’re probably scared, confused, and worried about what this means for your record, your freedom, and your family.
I frequently observe this in my practice. A heated argument gets out of control, the police are called, and suddenly one person is facing a serious family-violence strangulation charge based on what happened in a few chaotic seconds.
When people hear “evading responsibility” (Connecticut’s version of hit-and-run), they usually picture the driver who caused the crash and then sped away. But in my practice, I get a very different kind of call all the time:“Attorney Friedman, I wasn’t even driving. I lent my car to a friend. Now the police are saying my car was in a hit-and-run. How can I be in trouble?”
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
In Connecticut, if your vehicle is involved in an accident and leaves the scene, and the actual driver can’t be identified, you, as the owner, can be charged criminally with evading responsibility.
A clear, plain-English guide from a Connecticut DUI defense lawyerIf you land in the ER after an accident, a big question pops up fast: can the police get your hospital bloodwork or medical records to build a DUI case? In Connecticut, the rule is straightforward: for hospital treatment, bloodwork, and medical records, police require a judge-signed search warrant. Period.
Guide for Non-CitizensFrom a Connecticut criminal defense lawyer — how to protect your record, your status, and your future—starting today.
If you were sitting across the table from me—coffee in hand, knot in your stomach—I’d start here: take a breath. What makes your situation different isn’t just the court date. It’s that one criminal case can collide with your immigration life—your job, travel, green card, visa, and future plans. My job is to manage the criminal case and protect your interests.
A Pre-Arrest Playbook (From a Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyer)Most people’s first instinct is to be polite: “I’ll just call the detective back and clear this up.” I get it. You don’t want to look guilty, and you think cooperation will make it go away. The reality is that calling back without a lawyer can turn a manageable situation into a criminal case. This quick guide explains what that voicemail really means, your rights in Connecticut, and how I handle these calls for clients to keep things simple. Remember, everything you say to a police officer can and will be used against you.
The Stop, the search, and your next move In Connecticut, you need a Connecticut pistol permit to carry a handgun—other states’ permits don’t count here. Since October 1, 2023, open carry in public is banned (with narrow exceptions), while concealed carry is allowed if you have a valid CT permit. Guns in cars come with strict transport and storage rules, and many first-time arrests come down to whether the stop and search were lawful. This page breaks down what is actually charged, what the state must prove, and the defenses that work in the real world.
A defense guide for out-of-state “shopping crews” charged in Stamford G.A. # 1 If you were arrested in Connecticut after a retail stop where police found multiple “cloned” or encoded payment cards, gift cards, or receipts, you’re not being treated like a petty shoplifter. Prosecutors look at these cases as organized credit-card fraud—often involving skimmers, breached numbers, embossers/encoders, and gift-card laundering. The stakes are high: felony exposure, stacked counts, and immigration and travel risks if you live in New York or New Jersey.
I handle these cases every week in Stamford (GA 1) and throughout lower Fairfield County. Here’s how the system actually treats them—and how we defend them.
When your license is suspended after a Connecticut DUI, a quick run to the store can turn into handcuffs, a tow, and a mandatory jail sentence. I see it all the time in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, Milford, Greenwich, and throughout Connecticut: good people think “it’s just a license issue.” Under C.G.S. §14-215(c), it’s not “just” a license issue—it’s a criminal case with teeth.
Below, I explain why this charge warrants serious attention, how courts typically address it, and what you can do immediately to protect your record, freedom, and vehicle.
If you’re reading this because someone told you there’s a violation of probation against you, take a breath. You’re not the first person to be in this spot, and it’s fixable with the right plan. I see VOPs all the time in Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, Danbury, and throughout Connecticut. The biggest mistake people make is treating a VOP like a regular criminal case or assuming it will “work itself out.” It won’t. The rules are different, the burden of proof is lower, and a judge—not a jury—decides your fate. The good news is that we can often keep you on the street, protect your job and family, and avoid having your suspended time turn into actual jail time.
Below is a straight-talking guide to what a VOP is, why they happen, what the court actually looks for, and how I defend these cases.
Connecticut Criminal Lawyer Blog
