Court Process

When a person faces a Cheshire DUI charge, they are oftentimes going through the court system for the first time. This can be overwhelming and frightening if you don’t know anything about court. On this page, you can learn more about the Cheshire court process and how to protect yourself if you have been charged with a DUI.

Cheshire Court

The courthouses where criminal matters are held are called Superior Courts. These courts are spread across the state, and the particular court where a matter will be held depends on which court has jurisdiction. For DUIs the court with jurisdiction is the court that covers the area wherein the arrest took place. For a DUI arrest in Cheshire, one would go to the Superior Court in Meriden, G.A. #7.

There are three types of crimes that a person may be charged with. These are infractions, misdemeanors, and felonies. Infractions have fines for penalties, misdemeanors have fines and less than a year in jail as potential consequences, and felonies have fines and at least one year in prison as penalties. DUIs are generally considered misdemeanors or felonies in Connecticut.

All About Courts

In Connecticut, prosecutors are called State’s Attorneys, and they represent the people, or the state. State’s Attorneys work closely with law enforcement to gather evidence and to determine criminal acts. On the other end of the spectrum are defendants, and defense attorneys, who ensure that the defendant’s rights are not taken advantage of, and that the best defense under the law is attempted.

Perhaps the most common complaint from people dealing with the criminal justice system is that it takes too long. There are generally two reasons for this. First is something the defense has very little control over. This is that the Cheshire court and prosecution get to manage the docket and case flow. The other reason is quite beneficial to defendants most of the time, and that is continuances. Continuances allow the defense to gather witnesses, evidence, and anything else necessary to put forth the best possible defense for the defendant.

All defendants should be aware of their conduct and appearance while in court. This is due to the fact that prosecutors and the court as a whole are constantly watching and scrutinizing defendants on if they are taking the charges and the court itself seriously. Cheshire court cases are not won or lost solely based on this, but it does have an effect. Due to this, defendants should always refrain from talking about their case with anyone but their attorney, should never use vulgar or threatening language, and should be dressed professionally. This strategy can only help a defendant.

Dealing with the Cheshire court for a DUI is a nerve-racking and confusing situation to be in, and can best be assuaged by the assistance of a legal professional. To get in contact with a DUI defense lawyer who can help, get in touch with our team.