Charges of domestic violence can have a serious impact on your future, limiting chances of employment, obtaining professional licenses, and can even get a foreign defendant deported if convicted. From the moment law enforcers appear at the scene of an alleged domestic violence incident, it’s important to contact a domestic violence defense attorney, and avoid making statements without first obtaining legal advice.
Perpetrator or Victim?
Not all persons who are accused of domestic violence are guilty of such charges. Depending on the circumstances, a defendant may have acted out of self-defense or employed reasonable force to prevent the other party from hurting themselves.
If you are charged with domestic violence, an experienced domestic violence defense attorney can examine the allegations and the supporting evidence supporting, and, more importantly, conduct a parallel investigation of the incident to determine whether or not justifying or mitigating circumstances exist in your favor.
Burden of Proving Guilt
The law presumes a defendant to be innocent and places the burden on the prosecution to prove the charges of domestic violence against the defendant. The standard of evidence required to convict is proof beyond reasonable doubt. Depending on the lawyer’s experience and skill, he or she may be able to have the charges dismissed or reduced in your favor.
Raising Timely Objections
Rules of procedure provide the type of evidence that may be admitted or legally accepted in court, and the objections that may be raised against their admission. These rules are highly complicated and can only be mastered through years of experience that can be expected from a seasoned criminal defense attorney.
What Is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence covers not only physical abuse, but can also be verbal, emotional, or psychological abuse. It can refer to a wide range of acts or behavior such as:
- Kicking, shoving, pushing, and punching
- Sexual assault
- Stalking (physically or cyberstalking)
- Making threats of bodily harm
- Destroying property
- Physical abuse of family pets
If you are charged with domestic violence, it’s important to contact your criminal defense attorney before giving any statement or answers to the police.
In Los Angeles, California, the attorneys at Gurovich, Berk & Associates have over 35 years of combined experience in domestic violence defense cases. We have helped clients obtain dismissals of their charges after employing effective direct questioning methods that elicit accurate answers and by raising appropriate defenses in their situations.
We encourage you to contact any of our experienced attorneys at (213) 385-1555 to schedule a free consultation for your case.