The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The National Institute of Justice have estimated that there are roughly 960,000 incidents of domestic violence committed yearly in the United States. As many as three out of four people questioned in a variety of surveys report knowing someone who has been the victim of domestic violence.
The crime of domestic violence is committed by men and women, against a current or former spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend or roommate. Domestic violence can occur even between adult parents and children or adult siblings.
Whether you are a man or a woman, if you have been arrested for domestic violence you are dealing with charges that could impact your finances, your present and future employment, your housing and freedom. In domestic violence Los Angeles convictions, you may not be able to legally own or purchase a firearm again.
If you have children or intend on having children or adopting, a domestic violence Los Angeles arrest or conviction can influence potential custody and visitation cases. If you wish to adopt or serve as a foster parent a domestic violence conviction can eliminate any chance of that happening.
Because of the nature of the crime or alleged crime, many states, including California have adopted a “no-drop” policy in regard to domestic violence charges. Even if the victim of the alleged crime does not wish to press charges, the charges are carried forward by the State.
It is important to note that once the police are called, there is nearly always an arrest made. The immediate result may be that the accused is jailed. They face an appearance before a judge and will have to post bail. They may find that they have been barred from returning to the location the crime occurred in or from having further contact with the victim. This can be problematic if that location is their shared residence.
By contacting an experienced Los Angeles attorney immediately, a person accused of the crime of domestic violence can make the immediate impact of their arrest less difficult.
After that, an investigation of the circumstances of the arrest and parties involved by an experienced attorney can be helpful to the individual charged and the parties involved. Remember, domestic violence charges can be addressed with a strong advocate.
