Connecticut Criminal Lawyer Blog
Understanding When Miranda Really Matters
It’s one of the most common questions I hear from clients:
“The police never read me my rights — does that mean my case gets thrown out?”
Articles Posted in Bond and Release from Custody
Can You Be Charged in Connecticut for a Crime If You’ve Never Entered the State?
They think they’re safe because they never crossed the border.
They sit in New York, Florida, or California behind a laptop, running a scam, stealing data, or sending money requests to Connecticut residents — convinced that as long as they never set foot here, no one can touch them.
But that’s not how it works.
Can You Travel Out of State with a Pending Connecticut Criminal Case?
Feeling Stuck: The Emotional Toll of Pending Charges
When you’re facing a criminal case in Connecticut, one of the first fears that comes up is: “Am I trapped here until my case is over?”
Clients tell me this all the time. Maybe you live in New York or New Jersey, but were arrested while driving through Stamford. Perhaps your family lives across the country, and you desperately want to visit them. Maybe you have a job that requires travel, or a once-in-a-lifetime event you don’t want to miss.
The Trap of Talking: How Police Use Your Words Against You Before Reading Miranda Rights in Connecticut
Why Miranda Rights Don’t Always Protect You Right Away
Movies and TV shows make it look simple — the police slap on handcuffs and immediately say, “You have the right to remain silent.” In real life, it doesn’t work that way. In Connecticut, officers often talk to you and ask questions long before reading your Miranda rights. And here’s the painful truth: everything you say in those moments can come back to haunt you.
I see it all the time. Good people — scared, anxious, and just trying to explain themselves — end up handing the police their strongest evidence without even realizing it. By the time they sit down with me, their words are already written into the police report.
Understanding Bail Bonds in Connecticut: A Complete Guide
Bail in Connecticut is a process designed to balance two important objectives: protecting the rights of an accused person while ensuring they appear in court for future proceedings. This system involves multiple players — police, judges, bail commissioners, and bail bond agents — and is governed by state statutes, court rules, and recent legislative reforms.
If you or someone you know has been arrested in Connecticut, understanding exactly how bail is set, the role of the bail commissioner, and the changes brought about by the 7% bail reform law can make a significant difference in your case.
Arrests and Arrest Warrants in Connecticut
The 10 Most Commonly Asked Questions About Arrest Warrants in Connecticut
If you’ve been told there’s a warrant out for your arrest—or even if you just suspect it—it’s natural to feel anxious, overwhelmed, and unsure of your next move. Arrest warrants in Connecticut can result from missed court dates, criminal investigations, or violations of probation. As a Stamford-based criminal defense lawyer, I receive daily calls from people just like you, seeking clear answers.
This blog post answers the 10 most frequently asked questions about arrest warrants in Connecticut, with a focus on what residents in Stamford and Fairfield County should know. Whether you’ve been arrested before or this is your first legal scare, this 3,000-word guide will help you understand your rights and options.
1. What is an arrest warrant in Connecticut?
What to Do if You are Under Police Investigation or Stopped by Police
Many of my clients are terrified for obvious reasons when they are contacted by the Police and then often try to “talk their way out” of the situation. My objective in writing this blog post is to give some quick advice on what to do if you are the subject of a police investigation or a road side stop. Often, the Police have no case they can prove against you, only suspicion and conjecture which is not going to make a case stick in Court. They use manipulation, scare tactics and coercive methods to induce you to talk and give them admissions which will give them a solid case out of nothing. DO NOT fall for this trick. I am going to give you 3 easy to remember and simple rules to follow when dealing with the police that will help you avoid letting your own mouth seal the case against you. After 27 years of criminal defense I can’t count how many times I have been contacted by someone who is the subject of a police investigation and after I told the police that my client would not cooperate that was the last thing we ever heard about that case. The reason is because the police never had enough evidence to file for a warrant and were just hoping to bring my client in and get them to make an admission.
Rule #1 – I will not answer any questions. I want to speak to my lawyer.
Always remember rule #1 – when ever you are confronted by the police no matter what they threaten you with always tell them you want to speak with a lawyer and that you refuse to answer any questions. Of course you must give them your name and address and ID but that is the end of the conversation. The 5th amendment provides that no person in a criminal case shall be complelled to be a witness against themselves. This is a very powerful right. USE IT! You have the right to have a lawyer present before you answer any questions (of course we are not going to answer any questions when I get there either). The police will normally get really stressed out and say stuff like “we can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way” when you assert the 5th amendment. That’s right its going to be hard for the police because you are going to keep your mouth shut and not say anything until you speak with your lawyer first. I don’t care if the police threaten to tow your car, raise your bond higher, go harder on you, take away your phone, etc. it does not matter. No matter what they say do not answer any questions. Just keep saying I want to speak to a lawyer.
A Guide to ICE Detainers and How They Can Impact Your Connecticut Criminal Case
The purpose of this Guide is to explain how ICE detainers work and how they impact the rights and cases of those charged with criminal cases in Connecticut.
WHAT IS AN ICE DETAINER?
ICE detainers are issued every day in Connecticut yet many lawyers and even Police officers do not understand exactly how they are supposed to function and how they work. This leads to a lot of confusion. An ICE detainer is a legal document issued by INS or DHS officer and served upon a jail or police station to request that the jail or police detain and hold the individual who are in law enforcement custody or jail who they feel may be possibly subject to deportation. It is a REQUEST to hold that person. The Police Department or Jail does not have to honor the request, but in Connecticut they do.
