Connecticut Sentencing Attorney
Although sentencing is the last phase of a criminal case, it is important to be considering it throughout the entire process. Understanding what might happen in the case helps to prepare for the best ways to resolve a case. Hiring an experienced and creative defense team that can comfortably navigate sentencing hearings can be critical in obtaining the best deal available to you or your loved one and with it, the best possible outcome.
Sentencing is the final phase of the criminal justice process, where a person has admitted guilt or been found guilty by a jury, and a judge hears arguments before rendering a final sentence to the charge or charges.
At Black’s Law Group, we know that regardless of whether you are facing felony or misdemeanor convictions, you are likely concerned, overwhelmed, and in unfamiliar territory. Picking up that phone and calling a team of experienced and creative criminal defense attorneys, like ours, is your first step towards protecting yourself. Until then, you can keep reading here to learn more about how sentencing works in Connecticut criminal cases.
Types of sentences
There are a number of different types of sentences in Connecticut. Here are some of the “shorthands” or “jargon” used to describe them.
A suspended sentence is a sentence that results in zero jail time, unless you violate a period of your probation. These often include a period of post-conviction supervision like probation or a conditional discharge.
A flat sentence is a sentence that does not include any post-conviction supervision and instead, results in a specific period of time that a defendant will serve in prison.
A split sentence is a combination of jail time and post-conviction supervision. In other words, a defendant will serve a certain period of time in prison before being released to the community. If they violate their post-conviction supervision, they can then be returned to prison to serve the remaining unexecuted period of time from their sentence.
Cap and floor agreements
Creative defense attorneys can sometimes negotiate a cap and floor plea agreement in cases where the parties cannot agree on the numbers (how much time) and instead, agree to let a judge decide. Under these agreements, the parties will agree to a specified range of time that a judge could sentence a defendant to, as high as X and as low as Y. A defendant will then enter their plea or pleas to the charge or charges. From there, the parties will each make their case and present their arguments about the more appropriate sentence to a judge, who can then enter any sentence within the agreed upon range.
Hire a Connecticut Sentencing Attorney Today
Whether you or a loved one are facing felony or misdemeanor charges, hiring an experienced attorney to guide you through the process early can save you time, stress, and money. You want to hire the experienced and creative attorneys that understand that the facts are not always black and white. Call the team at Black’s Law Group today for your free consultation and to see how we might be able to help guide your case to an appropriate outcome and advocate for you at sentencing.