A domestic violence charge is one of the most stressful types of incidents a person has to endure due to the fact that you don’t only face criminal charges, but often you will also have to face criminal orders of protection in addition to facing alienation from family members and removal from your home for long periods of time. Psychologically speaking, there are other challenges you will face because domestic violence unveils layers of your alleged crime from family members, meaning that there are wounds that will need to be healed and emotional trauma to overcome. In many cases, the arrest itself brings about a lot of difficult decisions that will need to be made like ending a marriage or a relationship with a significant other. To add, it is important that you exercise patience because the courts are filled with many similar cases and the scheduling of these cases typically moves very slow. Getting the help of a good lawyer experienced in domestic violence cases is the first step to achieve a favorable result in court so you can focus on mending possible traumas that have been caused due to your actions.

You need an experienced attorney

It may appear that charges for domestic violence are somehow minor or not very relevant. Often, people get tempted to take the case in their own hands or think that they can solve it without the help of an attorney, but the reality is that in every domestic violence incident any person is taking a risk going solo. Just the smallest conviction for any domestic violence offense carries lifelong implications on your reputation. While the case is in progress, pending charges against you will show up on criminal background checks causing you to possibly lose out on employment opportunities, not to mention that misdemeanor charges for certain family violence crimes will result in lifelong prohibitions of some of your rights.

Refrain from violating the terms of any criminal order of protection

We strongly suggest you go over your mandated orders of protection carefully with your defense counsel and make sure you completely understand them. Don’t take this for granted because domestic violence charges typically fall into a category called “technical violations” of criminal orders of protection in which alleged offenders contact the victim thereby violating the order of protection which will earn you additional charges. Not only is this a serious felony you will be facing but it will also make it much more complicated to resolve your original domestic violence charges and add on additional time needed to get resolution. We advise you to always look at the big picture and keep in mind that your situation may be temporary. It is imperative that you don’t make any contact with the victim if you have a no contact order. In the best scenario, your case eventually will be lifted in court; however, you just need to be patient.

Partial orders of protection

Many of our clients that have a partial order of protection remain calm because as stated in the name “its partial” and it allows them to have some form of contact with the victim and the chance to continue a relationship, but the catch here is that partial orders of protection creates huge gray areas and there exist risks given any allegations of violations of the order of protection. If you have been given a no contact order it will clearly state that you should have no contact with the victim. If for any reason you don’t understand what is being told, you will surely understand it if violated. If the “partial” order contains words like not to harass, threaten or not to assault, it only creates additional gray areas being that victims of domestic violence and their attorneys are know to use “partial” orders of protection as a tool to turn your case from a minor situation to a more egregious charge that can cause you to be arrested for felony charges and for violation on an order of protection. Oftentimes we’ve seen the case in which a defendant gets comfortable with causing arguments or disagreements and later a call to 911 is placed adding to their charges thereby increasing chances for an arrest for violation of an order of protection. If you have a partial order of protection against you, come talk to us, we will guide you in the right direction.

Avoid Additional Criminal Charges

The worst case scenario for your domestic violence case is getting charged with additional criminal offenses while your original one is still pending. Your original case won’t look very favorable, as a defendant, if you keep adding charges on top of charges and it will not look favorable when deciding a resolution for your case. Do your best to remain calm as you face your situation until it is concluded. Your case may take up to two years before it is resolved. It is imperative that you keep a low profile and stay away from new criminal charges until your domestic violence case is resolved.

Get professional help to manage your emotions

When a defendant is arrested for a domestic violence charge it is not uncommon that the individual will have huge levels of stress. The court system and complexities of these cases are tough and will work on your nerves. The combination of personal, family and relationship issues you will encounter in your domestic violence case is bound to get you emotionally overwhelmed. Our recommendation is  that you seek out counseling with a licensed therapist. This can help you deal with all the emotions that will arise while dealing with your domestic violence case and also can aid in solving underlying issues with friends or loved ones. Seeking out counseling from a licensed therapist  will also help your case because it may look more favorable when appearing in court because this action shows that you are willing to take the correct measures to get help or better understand where things went wrong. Do not hesitate to get professional help!

There is always good news

A large portion of domestic violence charges are placed upon first time offenders that have never been arrested for any crime and these individuals are making their first appearance in the criminal justice system. The reality is that it will be stressful, overwhelming and confusing but most of these cases end with a dismissal of charges. We understand that when you are going through this process it may feel extremely taxing, slow and painful, but contacting a professional legal representative, at Gonzalez Torres Law, can determine what your outcome will be. We want to protect your rights, be your trusted advisor, and ensure you see a bright light at the end of the tunnel!

Come talk to us and let us represent you

We always provide our clients with an initial consultation in which an expert attorney, with experience, will sit down with you to discuss the nuances of your case and review your options as well as any concerns that you may have. If you have been arrested for domestic violence give us a call to 678-249-3899 or contact us via whatsapp at 1 (678) 408-2869.

Having a qualified, experienced and compassionate lawyer by your side will have a big effect on the outcome of your case and you can rest assured that it is in our interest to help you, schedule an appointment as soon as possible.