GLASTONBURY, CONNECTICUT · FAMILY LAW + FAMILY-VIOLENCE DEFENSE
Connecticut does not have a crime called “domestic violence.” What happens is that an ordinary criminal charge is designated a family violence crime, which changes how the case is handled — mandatory arrest, next-day arraignment, a protective order, and a separate docket.
The charge itself comes from the Penal Code. Below are the ones that most often arise from a domestic incident.
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
CT Safe Connect: (888) 774-2900 — 24/7, by call, text, chat, or email
| Charge | Statute | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Assault, 1st degree | §53a-59 | Class B felony |
| Assault, 2nd degree | §53a-60 | Class D felony |
| Assault, 3rd degree | §53a-61 | Class A misdemeanor |
| Strangulation or suffocation, 1st | §53a-64aa | Class C felony |
| Strangulation or suffocation, 2nd | §53a-64bb | Class D felony |
| Strangulation or suffocation, 3rd | §53a-64cc | Class A misdemeanor |
| Threatening, 2nd degree | §53a-62 | Class A misdemeanor or class D felony |
| Reckless endangerment, 1st | §53a-63 | Class A misdemeanor |
| Reckless endangerment, 2nd | §53a-64 | Class B misdemeanor |
| Disorderly conduct | §53a-182 | Class C misdemeanor |
| Breach of the peace, 2nd | §53a-181 | Class B misdemeanor |
| Stalking, 2nd degree | §53a-181d | Class A misdemeanor |
| Electronic stalking | §53a-181f | Class D felony |
| Harassment, 2nd degree | §53a-183 | Class C misdemeanor |
| Unlawful restraint, 1st | §53a-95 | Class D felony |
| Unlawful restraint, 2nd | §53a-96 | Class A misdemeanor |
| Interfering with an emergency call | §53a-183b | Class A misdemeanor |
| Criminal mischief, 2nd | §53a-116 | Class A misdemeanor |
| Criminal trespass, 1st | §53a-107 | Class A misdemeanor |
| Violation of conditions of release | §§53a-222, 53a-222a | Class D felony / class A misdemeanor |
Degrees not listed above exist for several of these offences. Classification depends on the specific facts alleged.
Other related misdemeanor or felony charges arising from the same domestic or family-violence incident are handled as part of the same practice.
Disorderly conduct and breach of the peace are the most commonly charged family violence offences in Connecticut. A night that felt catastrophic is frequently, on paper, a misdemeanor. That is not a reason to take it lightly — the protective order and the collateral consequences attach the same way.
Strangulation carries felony exposure at every degree, and the third-degree charge can be supported by reckless conduct without visible injury. It is charged more often than people expect.
Interfering with an emergency call is almost always an add-on count — a phone taken or knocked away during an argument.
Violating conditions of release is frequently accidental: contact through a child, a message passed by a relative, returning to collect belongings.
Custodial interference sits on the line between family court and criminal court, where a parenting dispute becomes a criminal charge.
Violating a court order is its own offence with serious exposure, and Connecticut charges each type of order separately: violation of a criminal protective order (C.G.S. §53a-223), of a standing criminal protective order (§53a-223a), of a restraining order (§53a-223b), and of a civil protection order (§53a-223c).
The firm accepts the following on a case-by-case basis where they arise from a domestic or family-violence incident: kidnapping, burglary, home invasion, firearm-related offences, and sexual assault allegations arising from an intimate-partner or family relationship.
The criminal practice is limited to charges arising from a domestic or family-violence incident. The firm does not take unrelated DUI, drug, theft, or other criminal matters.
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