• Domestic Violence Home
• Domestic Violence Laws
• Mandatory Arrests & Protective Orders
• Court Process
• Negotiations
• Evidentiary Hearings
• Connecticut Domestic Violence FAQs
• Resources for Victims of Domestic Violence
• 10 Things You Need to Know
• Crime Chart
• Downloadable Ruane Attorneys Office Forms

10 things you need to know about Domestic Violence

1. If you are arrested for Domestic Violence, you will have to appear in court the very next business day that the court is open.
   
   
2. People charged with Domestic Violence must cooperate with the Family Services division of Court Support Services Division. Failure to cooperate before your arraignment can hurt your case
   
   
3. The court will hear a proposal from the Court Support services office about whether the judge should impose a full, partial or no protective order. Each order is an order from a judge and can only be changed by a judge
   
   
4. If you are arrested for domestic violence and have any guns or firearms you will have to turn them over to someone else who is licensed or the police
   
   
5. Violation of a judge’s protective order can be a more serious crime than the original charge!
   
   
6. If you are being issued a protective order you have a right to have a hearing on this and to fight it. If you do not fight it, you might agree to waive the ability to fight it forever.
   
   
7. Most courts have special days and prosecutors for Domestic violence who have special training
   
   
8. There are special court programs for people charged with Domestic Violence which may help you with your case, but there is no guarantee you will be allowed into the program.
   
   
9. If you are facing a charge of domestic violence in Connecticut, it is not unusual to go to court more than 5 times before your case is resolved. The sooner you have a lawyer working for you, the quicker the case may resolve.
   
   
10. Just because you are no longer together or the “victim” wants the case dropped does not mean that the case will be dropped. The state can force a victim to testify against you if they want to do so.