A juvenile arrest or court referral creates immediate crisis on two fronts: the court case and the school disciplinary response. At Forte Law Group, our Fairfield County juvenile defense lawyers represent children and teenagers across Fairfield County, from Greenwich and Stamford to Bridgeport, Danbury, and Shelton.
Because our firm practices both juvenile defense and special education law, we handle the delinquency matter and the school disciplinary proceedings simultaneously. Connecticut’s juvenile justice system prioritizes rehabilitation, but protecting your child’s long-term record depends on strategic advocacy from the very first day.
Call Forte Law Group at 475-445-2264 to schedule a free case evaluation.
When a child is arrested, families are forced to navigate two complex, interconnected legal systems: Court Support Services Division (probation/court) and the local Board of Education.
Located at One Enterprise Drive in Shelton, inside Fairfield County, our firm brings over 75 years of combined legal experience spanning criminal defense, juvenile procedure, and special education law across Connecticut.
Families working with us can expect the following:
A juvenile arrest frequently triggers a school response on a separate track and a separate timeline. Your child may face a delinquency petition in juvenile court while the district moves toward suspension or expulsion.
Those two proceedings affect each other. Statements made in a school hearing can surface in the court case, and a disability that was never properly identified can matter in both settings.
Connecticut treats juvenile cases differently from adult prosecutions, though the underlying criminal statutes are often the same. Understanding which rules apply helps parents make better decisions early.
Connecticut juvenile courts handle delinquency matters involving acts committed before a young person's 18th birthday. The definitions governing these cases, including the meanings of "child" and "delinquent act," appear in the Connecticut General Statutes chapter on juvenile matters.
That same chapter governs the arrest of a child under Section 46b-133, including notice to a parent or guardian and the question of whether a child is released to a parent or held in detention.
Not every case stays in juvenile court. Under Connecticut General Statutes Section 46b-127, a child charged with a Class A or Class B felony faces automatic transfer to the regular criminal docket when the offense was committed after the child turned 15.
Class C, D, and E felonies require a prosecutor's motion and a court hearing before any transfer can occur. In deciding, the court weighs the seriousness of the offense, prior history, evidence of intellectual disability or mental illness, and the services available in the juvenile system.
Connecticut allows juvenile records to be erased, but not automatically and not immediately. Under Connecticut General Statutes Section 46b-146, erasure generally becomes available two years after discharge for most delinquency cases, and four years after discharge for serious juvenile offenses.
The young person must have turned 18. Erasure is unavailable if the person was convicted of a felony or misdemeanor during that waiting period.
Connecticut assigns juvenile cases based on where the child lives, not where the alleged act occurred. A Greenwich teenager arrested in New Haven is being tried in the juvenile court serving Greenwich, according to the Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice.
Families in Fairfield County generally appear at one of these Juvenile Matters courts:
We represent families from Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk, Danbury, Fairfield, Greenwich, Westport, Weston, Trumbull, Shelton, Stratford, Darien, New Canaan, Wilton, Ridgefield, Monroe, Easton, Bethel, Brookfield, Newtown, Redding, and New Fairfield.
Connecticut charges young people under the same criminal statutes that apply to adults, then routes most of those cases through juvenile court. Our attorneys regularly defend children and teenagers accused of the following:
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The juvenile process moves through several stages, and each one offers different opportunities to shape the outcome. A typical delinquency case follows this path:
Early involvement matters most at stages two and three. Once a case becomes a formal petition, the informal options narrow considerably.
For many families, the school consequences feel more immediate than the court date. Connecticut and federal law both give your child rights in that process.
Under federal law (34 CFR § 300.530), if a school seeks to exclude a student with an IEP or 504 Plan for more than 10 consecutive school days, the team must hold an MDR to answer two mandatory questions:
If "Yes," the student cannot be expelled, and the district must conduct a Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and implement a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP).
Connecticut juvenile courts handle delinquency cases involving conduct that occurred before a young person's 18th birthday. Younger children can also be referred to the court, and the response typically emphasizes services and supervision.
Yes, in defined circumstances. Class A and Class B felonies alleged to have been committed after a child turned 15 transfer automatically to the regular criminal docket. At the same time, lower-level felonies require a prosecutor's motion and a hearing.
Not necessarily. Connecticut permits erasure two years after discharge in most delinquency cases and four years for serious juvenile offenses, provided the person has turned 18 and has no qualifying conviction during the waiting period.
Yes. School disciplinary proceedings run independently of court dates. However, you are entitled to advance written notice, representation by counsel, and a Manifestation Determination Review if your child has an IEP or 504 Plan.
An internal school response still creates a record and can still lead to a police referral. Having counsel review the situation early helps you understand what is being documented and what rights apply.
Contact a lawyer first. Your child has the right to remain silent and the right to counsel, and statements made to officers or administrators can affect both the court case and the school proceeding.
If your child is facing juvenile charges anywhere in Fairfield County, Forte Law Group is ready to review the case with you. Getting involved early gives us the most room to address the court case, the school response, and your child's long-term record together.
Call Forte Law Group at 475-445-2264 to request a free case evaluation with a Fairfield County juvenile defense lawyer. Our office is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and Attorney Jeffrey L. Forte and our team represent families throughout Fairfield County and across Connecticut.
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