Is It Really A Crime to Write Bad Checks in Connecticut?

Writing a bad check is a form of a criminal charge in Connecticut

You need a dedicated Connecticut criminal defense attorney to help you if you have been accused of such a crime. It can be a serious offense depending on the amount of money involved. Any criminal offense can have a negative impact on your criminal record and can follow you for life. If you are a non-citizen, a conviction for such an offense can also cause you to be deported.

Many people who are accused of writing bad checks are already under significant financial pressure. It can arise from an unexpected medical bill or the loss of a job, but things can transform a difficult financial situation into a criminal one if you write multiple bad checks, and do nothing about it when notified. You can be charged with issuing a bad check in Connecticut if you attempt to write a check while knowing there are not sufficient amounts of money inside the account or knowing that the bank will refuse the check.

Beyond that, a bad check can follow you for some time, especially if the charges filed by the police state that you did this on multiple occasions.

Penalties for Bad Checks

For amounts of $250 or less, the person accused is looking at up to $500 in fines and up to three months in jail. For between $250 and $500, this goes up to $1000 in fines and up to six months in jail. For bad checks between $500 and $1000, this is up to $2000 in fines and up to a year in jail. And for more than $1000, this is categorized as a class D felony that contains up to $5000 in fines and one to five years in prison.

Because of the significant consequences associated with writing bad checks, you can’t afford to blame this on a difficult financial situation. You may be accused of passing bad checks and could have this unfortunate incident follow you for many years to come. There are defenses available to you in the event you are charged with issuing bad checks. Consult with an experienced Connecticut criminal defense attorney to review your options.

Contact Us

If you or someone you know has been charged with issuing one or more bad checks, it is important to consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney who can help zealously defend your case. Contact Chris Llinas at Iron Chris Immigration & Criminal Defense at 860-530-1781 for a free consultation relative to your case.

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Christopher Llinas

J. Christopher Llinas is a Connecticut criminal defense and immigration attorney with over 25 years of legal experience. He is the founder of Iron Chris Criminal Defense & Immigration, based in Middletown, CT. Chris earned his J.D. from Franklin Pierce Law Center (now the University of New Hampshire School of Law) in 1997 and holds a B.A., magna cum laude, in English from Salisbury University. During law school he served as a teaching assistant for Civil Procedure and Constitutional Law, and competed in moot court and trial advocacy programs. He began his legal career as an Assistant Public Defender, defending clients in felony, misdemeanor, and traffic matters. He later served as an Assistant State's Attorney, prosecuting criminal and traffic cases — giving him a firsthand understanding of how the prosecution builds its case. He has also served as a law clerk, legal aid attorney, and in-house corporate counsel before dedicating his practice to criminal defense and immigration. Chris is admitted to practice in Connecticut, Maryland, the U.S. District Court, and the U.S. Court of Appeals. He is a member of the Connecticut Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), the National College of DUI Defense (NCDD), and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). His practice covers DUI and OUI defense, drug charges, weapons charges, violent crimes, juvenile matters, probation violations, federal criminal defense, and immigration removal proceedings throughout Connecticut.