Being accused or arrested for domestic violence in the Virginia area is a very serious legal challenge that could come with major financial, professional, and legal penalties. If this happens to you, you are entitled to a legal defense. You should fully understand the crime which you have been accused of as well as the potential penalties that you may face.
Understand That Domestic Violence Goes Beyond Just Your Spouse
It is important to realize that domestic violence can be a crime that impacts more than just your spouse. It can occur with a former spouse, a blood relative, stepchildren, in-laws who live with you, someone you share a child in common with, or even someone you are dating and living within recent times leading up to the charge. The definition of domestic violence is broad. Not all domestic violence acts can be charged as criminal offenses.
Domestic Violence Penalties Will Vary Based on Type of Charge
It is important to note that charges of domestic violence can be misdemeanors or felonies. They can be just a domestic assault and battery or can be more serious like felony strangulation or abduction. The Commonwealth of Virginia has numerous types of domestic violence charges, each of which comes with its own potential jail sentences. For example, there are different definitions for crimes like stalking, abduction, assault, strangulation, malicious wounding, and more.
How a Domestic Violence Attorney Can Help
These charges are not always simple to determine or fight so it is important you have the right person on the team fighting for you. They require expertise and experience within the scope of domestic violence law. Since these cases involve personal matters with loved ones or family members you must trust your attorney to dive into whatever issues there are in your case.
A lawyer can help you deal with these charges in many ways. First, the lawyer can review the available evidence and come up with a plan of action of what needs to be done first. From there, you can work together to determine your legal options, be it going to trial, attempting to dismiss the case, or finding a plea bargain that will reduce your sentence and potentially keep you out of jail.
Take the First Step Towards Protecting Yourself and Your Rights in Virginia
If you have been accused of domestic violence and live in the Fairfax area, you will need to hire an experienced Fairfax domestic violence defense lawyer in the area. Contact the Law Office of Ann Thayer. We have years of experience and expertise within the Fairfax legal community to understand your options and give you solid legal advice. When it comes to building a defense for your case, the first and most crucial step is to hire a domestic violence defense lawyer. Contact us today at 703-552-8110.
