Building a Defense For Domestic Violence Charges in Virginia
Domestic violence charges can carry both short and long term consequences that will greatly impact a person’s life, including possible jail sentences and possible removal from their home. Contacting a Virginia domestic violence lawyer helps a person to sort through the various pitfalls that might need to be crossed and this is critical towards protecting their rights in cases like this. An experienced lawyer will help you through the difficult process.
Short and Long Term Consequences
Immediate consequences can involve jail time and will most likely involve some kind of probationary period. Additionally, attending anger management classes or counseling of some other kind might be mandatory. There are a lot of different things that a court can do if a person is convicted of domestic violence in Virginia and none of them are particularly appealing.
Even after a person has done jail time and gotten off probation, they still have a criminal conviction on their record that stays with them for the rest of their life. Having a conviction of that nature on a person’s record will be a deterrent to any future potential employers or really anything else that they want to try to do in life as far as any kind of background check.
Steps to Take if Accused
If there is enough evidence that shows that they did, in fact, do the things they are being accused of, the best option is to fight to soften a charge. Some examples might be through anger management counseling or couples counseling before going to court, as well as possible community service hours.
There are a lot of different variables that are considered when making recommendations to a client. All of them depend on the severity of the allegation and the likelihood that the government is able to prove it. If they are not guilty of what they have been charged with, then you go look for evidence to support that claim. However, every domestic violence case in Virginia is different, so each case changes every time.
Evidence
When it comes to evidence in a domestic violence case, we are talking about whether they did or did not do it. If a person is claiming that they did not do the things that they’re accused of then a Virginia domestic violence attorney will look at evidence that substantiates the claim that they are being falsely accused of.
Somes examples of potential pieces of evidence are:
- Written or oral statements made by the accuser
- Social media posts
- Emails
Contact an Attorney
Having the right legal representation is very important throughout a domestic violence case. A lawyer will help you build a defense for your Virginia domestic violence charges and make sure you are aware of all of your rights. Please contact an experienced attorney today if you have been charged.
