Connecticut Criminal Lawyer Blog

Can You Be Charged with DUI When You’re Not Driving?

Published on: September 3, 2025 | by Allan F. Friedman Criminal Lawyer

Connecticut’s Shockingly Broad Definition of “Operation”

Here’s the hard truth: even if you know you’re intoxicated and pull off the road to a parking lot or stop your car to avoid driving further, you can still be arrested and charged with DUI in Connecticut. You don’t even have to be driving down the road. Simply sitting in your car under the wrong circumstances is considered “operation.”

In my view, that’s a poor policy decision. It punishes people who are actually trying to do the responsible thing and not endanger others by driving further. But it is the law. The Connecticut Appellate Court in State v. Ducatt, 22 Conn. App. 88 (1990) held that “operation” includes taking actions such as inserting the key into the ignition or sitting in a running vehicle, even if the car never moves an inch.

Marijuana and Drugged Driving in Connecticut

Published on: September 2, 2025 | by Allan F. Friedman Criminal Lawyer

The Big Misconception

Now that marijuana is legal in Connecticut, a lot of people think it’s safe to light up and drive. I can’t tell you how many calls I get from people who are stunned when they get arrested for DUI after smoking the night before, or even hours earlier. They’ll say to me, “But I thought it was legal now?”

Here’s the truth: marijuana may be legal to use, but it is still absolutely illegal to drive under its influence. Police in Connecticut are watching closely, and cannabis DUI cases are being prosecuted just as aggressively as alcohol DUIs.

Walking on Eggshells: Living Under a Protective Order in the Same Home

Published on: September 1, 2025 | by Allan F. Friedman Criminal Lawyer

Domestic-Violence-new-Photo-300x200-300x200 Living under a protective order is stressful enough. Add in the fact that you’re still living under the same roof with the protected party, and it can feel like you’re walking on eggshells every single day. Clients tell me this all the time: they feel like they can’t breathe normally in their own home, constantly worried that any wrong move could lead to another arrest.

In Connecticut, protective orders are taken very seriously. Even if you and the protected party both want to live in the same house, the law imposes strict conditions. Violating those conditions — even by accident — can result in a felony charge.

The Three Types of Criminal Protective Orders in Connecticut

Is a DUI a Felony in Connecticut?

Published on: August 31, 2025 | by Allan F. Friedman Criminal Lawyer

One of the very first questions I hear from clients who call me after a DUI arrest is: “Am I facing a felony?”

It’s a fair question — the word “felony” carries a lot of weight. Felonies mean harsher penalties, longer jail time, and lifelong consequences that can affect jobs, housing, and your future.

The good news is that in Connecticut, most first-time DUI arrests are not felonies. If this is your first offense, it will usually be treated as a misdemeanor. In many cases, there are diversionary programs available — such as the Impaired Driving Intervention Program (IDIP) — that can keep your record clean if you complete them successfully.

The New Twist in Sweetheart Scams: Crypto, Stolen Checks, and Criminal Charges

Published on: August 30, 2025 | by Allan F. Friedman Criminal Lawyer

Online romance scams — often called “sweetheart scams” — have been around for years.

However, scammers have recently shifted their tactics. Instead of only asking victims to wire money directly, they are now manipulating people into becoming “money mules.”

How the Scam Works

Expungement vs. Criminal Pardon in Connecticut (Plus: The Clean Slate Law Explained)

Published on: August 30, 2025 | by Allan F. Friedman Criminal Lawyer

Clearing Your Record in Connecticut

Many of my clients say, “I’m tired of my past holding me back.”
One old record can derail job interviews, housing applications, and professional licensing—even years later.

Connecticut now offers three legal pathways to clear your record: expungement, pardons, and the new Clean Slate law.
Choosing the right path starts with knowing what qualifies—and what doesn’t.

Connecticut First-Time Offender Guide: Jail or Second Chance?

Published on: August 29, 2025 | by Allan F. Friedman Criminal Lawyer

court-300x225 Getting arrested for the first time in Connecticut is terrifying. I hear the same question from almost every client after their first arrest: “Am I going to jail?” The short answer is that while jail is technically possible, in most first-offense cases, there are alternatives that can keep your record clean and keep you out of a cell.

Jail Is Rare for First-Time Offenders

Connecticut judges and prosecutors understand that people make mistakes. The law provides them with tools to resolve first-offense cases without sending someone to jail. Unless your case involves a serious felony, violence, or repeated conduct, jail is usually not the outcome.

Is Being a Sugar Baby Illegal in Connecticut?

Published on: August 28, 2025 | by Allan F. Friedman Criminal Lawyer

I get this question a lot: “Is being a sugar baby illegal?” With so many people—especially college students and young professionals—turning to apps and websites to meet older partners, it’s natural to wonder if you could get in trouble. While technically not prostitution itself, a sugar baby arrangement must not cross the line into providing sexual favors for financial consideration. In most instances, it is perfectly legal for consenting adults to engage in intimate relationships and for one partner to give gifts to the other. However, it is essential to be careful not to push the boundaries and turn a mutually beneficial relationship into some form of prostitution that could be criminal. There are dozens of websites and apps that promote themselves as being sugar dating platforms, connecting older, wealthier men or women with younger men or women. Some of the more well-known ones have been featured prominently in media reports

The Short answer: It depends on how the arrangement is set up. Simply dating someone older who helps with rent or gives gifts isn’t automatically illegal. But Connecticut has strict laws against prostitution, and crossing that line can put you at legal risk.

As a Connecticut criminal defense lawyer, here’s a plain-English breakdown of where the dangers are and what happens if police decide to investigate.

Connecticut’s Mandatory Domestic Violence Arrest: How “He Said, She Said” Becomes a Case

Published on: August 28, 2025 | by Allan F. Friedman Criminal Lawyer

What “probable cause” really means—and why words alone can trigger an arrest

I hear it all the time: “How can they charge me? There’s no evidence—it’s just her word against mine.” In Connecticut, that can still lead to handcuffs. Under the mandatory arrest rule for domestic cases, one sworn statement, along with probable cause, is often sufficient for police to make an arrest—no photos, no video, and no outside witnesses are required.

Quick Snapshot

Why Connecticut Police Make Arrests in Domestic Violence Calls – Even If No One Wants To

Published on: August 27, 2025 | by Allan F. Friedman Criminal Lawyer

Domestic-Violence-new-Photo-300x200-300x200 I hear it from clients all the time: “We just had an argument… nobody wanted to press charges. So why did I end up in handcuffs?” The answer is one statute that catches people off guard every single day: Connecticut’s mandatory arrest law for domestic violence cases. Once 911 is dialed and police arrive, you lose control over what happens next. In other situations, clients who were being abused called 911, and they wind up getting arrested, also, and don’t understand why the police would arrest the victim.

At a glance

Probable cause = arrest. In CT domestic calls, if officers believe a crime occurred, they must arrest.