What Are Some Steps That a Person Can Take to Help Their Domestic Violence Case?

 The three most important steps a person charged with domestic violence can take to help their case are to hire the best attorney, follow court orders, and be proactive.

Let’s talk about hiring the best attorney. You want to look at a few questions to figure out which domestic violence attorney is best for you. Do you feel comfortable talking to the attorney in your consultation? Does the attorney lay out a game plan as to how they’re going to help you? And, does the attorney give you the time you deserve to talk about your case? Remember, the consultation is a sneak peek into what it will be like working with the attorney. Therefore, if the attorney is short with you or isn’t very nice, that’s probably how it will continue through the case. If you aren’t given a specific game plan as to how the attorney is going to solve YOUR specific problems, they will probably take a cookie-cutter approach that doesn’t take your life into consideration, and may not be a good step a person can take to help their domestic violence case. The best attorneys will show a time-intensive, personal approach to your case that will give you comfort that all options for success will be explored.

Now, what are some examples of court orders, otherwise known as bond conditions, that someone charged with domestic violence has to follow throughout a case? They typically include no contact with the accuser (including that the accused cannot stay in the same residence as the accuser), no travel outside the state, and random alcohol or drug testing. Why is it important to follow the court’s orders throughout the case? Well, if you don’t, you could be thrown in jail. Also, if you disobey a court order, the judge and the prosecutor will take note and it could affect the outcome of your case.

Lastly, it’s important, if you want the best result in the case, to be proactive about the situation. We usually recommend that anyone going through a domestic violence charge go through an anger management evaluation with a respected counselor. If alcohol or drugs were involved in the in alleged incident, even if no violence took place, we usually recommend a substance use evaluation. These proactive measures can be used in pre-trial negotiations to convince the prosecutor and judge to agree to a reduced charge and, possibly, to keep the domestic violence charge off the public record. Call now to learn more about your legal options.