Domestic violence charges are serious, and they can result in not only a criminal conviction but also other consequences like protective orders that restrict your ability to see your family. These are sensitive cases, and as a result, it is important you contact an experienced Alexandria domestic violence lawyer who has spent years litigating serious criminal cases.
Domestic assault is an assault crime that occurs in a family or household member. A “family or household member” is defined in Virginia code very specific people. It includes numerous family members but typically occurs between spouses, couples who aren’t married but either live together or have a child together, siblings, or between parents and children. As an Alexandria domestic violence lawyer can tell you, this means that many different kinds of conduct can possibly fall under the domestic violence definition. If you have been accused call today and schedule a free consultation with a criminal attorney in Alexandria.
The punishments can be slightly different than for non-domestic assault, but it is still a class one misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a $2500 crime, plus any special conditions the court wants to impose such as no contact with the victim and barring you from returning to the location where the assault occurred. These penalties make it imperative that you contact a domestic violence lawyer in Virginia as soon as possible.
There are all types of domestic violence crimes. Any time a crime occurs between a family or household member, that makes it a domestic case.
There are domestic assault and battery, violation of protective orders, destruction of property, endangering the welfare of a child, and various other offenses. They are treated slightly differently than non-domestic charges.
Domestic violence crimes are handled in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations court in Virginia. And often times there are protective orders and custody hearings that occur alongside the criminal case. A domestic violence attorney in Alexandria can you understand the charges, how to prepare, and what your options are.
Sex crimes can certainly be considered domestic violence. Sex crimes can happen between any two people. And if it is a family or household member, as defined in the Virginia Code, then that makes that offense an act of domestic violence. Of course, incest would be one example of that.
But there are numerous other ways that sex offenses that occur in family or household members and can be charged as domestic violence. If you are facing a domestic violence sex crime charge, contact an experienced Alexandria domestic violence lawyer today for a free consultation.
Law enforcement officers in Alexandria treat assault crimes and arrests very seriously. They do so because typically there is a victim who is involved and that person is very aggrieved by what happened and looks to the court system for justice and retribution.
A police officer wants to satisfy the interests of the victim and also wants to prevent the offender from committing crimes in the future and because of those pressures, they take allegations of domestic abuse very seriously.
Additionally, domestic offenses often involve children, either as victims in the crime, or as witnesses. And whenever children are involved, the police are very concerned. Alexandria police take all cases very seriously, and that includes crimes of domestic violence and crimes where children are involved. That means that you should also take your case seriously, and consult with Alexandria domestic violence attorneys who have experience with domestic assault cases.