Did you get into a loud argument with your spouse or significant other and someone called the cops? Did you actually get into a shoving match? Did you just try to restrain your spouse or significant other from hitting you and someone accidentally got hurt? Did you, your spouse or significant other throw cell phones or other objects at each other during an argument and break something? These can all get charged as domestic violence.
Domestic Violence is a label that can be put on any regular charge where the people involved have or previously had an intimate relationship or the charges grow out of a related intimate relationship. Domestic Violence is not so much a separate charge as it what lawyers call a sentence enhancer. This means you can have harassment-domestic violence or assault-domestic violence or criminal mischief-domestic violence.
Domestic Violence means that you immediately have special bond conditions that limit your ability to talk to the other person, limits your ability to see children and may immediately eject you from a shared residence. Therefore, early legal representation is critical. At sentencing Domestic Violence in most jurisdictions requires a 36 week (Nine Month) domestic violence class. Certain charges with a Domestic Violence conviction can immediately affect your Second Amendment Rights and can prohibit you from owning a gun and prohibit hunting with a weapon under federal law. Therefore, legal representation is critical to make sure you do not plead guilty to the wrong charge.
The Eagle and Summit County criminal defense attorneys at Carlson, Edwards, and O'Connor Attorneys-at-Law, P.C. have years of experience at dealing with these situations and types of charges for clients across Edwards and Summit Counties. We can help you avoid serious lifelong employment impacts. We can help separate serious cases from one time incidents.