If you have been charged with domestic violence, you may feel like your life is turned upside down. Often, a kick-out protective order or other protective order accompanies these charges, which can result in you being forced to leave your home and restrict your time with your family. These charges can also impact the outcome of civil claims, where a domestic violence conviction can impact the distribution of assets and child custody arrangements.
When you are facing domestic violence charges, you need the help of a DeKalb County domestic violence lawyer. Our experienced criminal defense attorneys could help you understand your potential remedies, as well as the ramifications of domestic violence on your family and the community. Lawyers are often able to help you avoid criminal liability or minimize your punishment, while simultaneously helping you access resources that can improve the health and safety of your whole family.
Before examining domestic violence as a crime, it is essential to understand it as a social issue. It is a dysfunctional pattern of inter-family behavior where one person attempts to exert power and control through physically, emotionally, financially, or mentally abusive behaviors. The vast majority of people who end up abusing their partners or children grew up in homes with violence and may not understand how to have healthy relationships and families.
While a DeKalb County attorney’s primary focus is on helping you avoid criminal consequences for charges, they could also help you access resources that can help you improve your family. Domestic violence is terrible for children, wrong for your partner, and bad for you. Left unchecked, it increases your risk of future criminal charges, can leave you financially vulnerable in a divorce, impacts your employability, and can impact access to your children.
If the allegations are false, then you may be the victim of abuse. False allegations can have a similar impact on the family structure, but the resources to help deal with them are different. We could help you find the necessary resources to address the related issues.
The definition of family violence under state law is simultaneously broader and more narrow than the sociological definition. The Georgia Family Violence Act, Georgia Code Annotated §19-13-30 – 19-13-34, defines family violence in terms of criminal behavior such as:
The law does not include the financial, emotional, or mental components that can often be more crippling than the criminal acts themselves. However, the law is also more expansive. First, it penalizes people regardless of their intent or history—an isolated assault can support a conviction. Additionally, the law protects family members, roommates, coparents, and more. A lawyer who understands the family violence laws is the right choice for people in DeKalb County charged with any violent or threatening crime against a family member or roommate.
Domestic violence charges have the potential to blow up your life in a way many other criminal charges cannot. While first-time convictions rarely result in prison sentences or jail time, they can impact everything from your ability to live in your own home to your employment status. If the allegations are false, it can be critical to put a stop to the attempted smear campaign.
If the allegations are based on truth, then it is vital to make changes to prevent family violence from destroying your family or your own life. A DeKalb County domestic violence lawyer can help you navigate the criminal justice system and minimize the impact on other facets of your life. Contact us today.
Robert James Trial Attorney
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