Spousal abuse is a distinct form of domestic violence with severe implications for a conviction. A Mecklenburg County spousal abuse lawyer could have the experience necessary to fight your case successfully. If you have been charged with spousal abuse, every second you wait to call a domestic violence defense attorney is another second the prosecution hones their case against you without legal defense. Call today.
Spousal abuse is generally considered an act of violence between people who are legally married in the Commonwealth of Virginia. This includes physical contact of some form and the very slightest unwanted physical conduct is enough to support a domestic assault and battery charge.
The most common examples of spousal abuse seen in Mecklenburg County is a domestic assault. This usually occurs when one spouse gets into an argument, the argument gets out of reasonable control, and the conflict turns physical.
Domestic violence is any violence between family members or relatives including spouses, but domestic violence might also include parents, children, or even grandparents. In certain circumstances, it can include brothers and sisters. However, the term spousal abuse is more limited, referring only to conduct between a married couple.
Someone accused of spousal abuse could be arrested and held in jail without bond pending their attorney being able to set up a bond hearing for them. They may also face restraining orders that would seek to limit contact between the defendant and the alleged victim.
A person accused of spousal abuse can expect to be arrested by law enforcement after a situation is called in. Defendants may be granted a bond for bail by the magistrate, but often they must wait for their Mecklenburg County spousal abuse lawyer to arrange a bond hearing for them to get the judge to set a bond for release.
A defendant can expect to be arraigned by a judge and counseled about their right to hire or be assigned an attorney to help defend them against the charges. Generally, within 30 days of the initial charge, they can expect to go to trial in order to determine guilt and sentence potential punishments when a guilty verdict is found.
The consequences of a spousal-abuse charge include a criminal conviction. If it is a felony conviction, the convict will lose their right to own or operate a firearm, their right to vote in elections, and they may lose employment opportunities due to their conviction. Like any other criminal charge, there is also the threat of fines, restrictions on liberty, parole, and even incarceration. Spousal-abuse convictions can be used against a defendant in divorce or child custody and visitation proceedings, increasing the change of a negative outcome in those situations.
Many serious consequences can follow a spousal-abuse conviction, and going to trial without an experienced and compassionate attorney might increase your risk of conviction, fines, custody consequences, and incarceration. It is essential that you hire an attorney as soon as you are aware of pending charges. Acting early may allow your attorney to begin preparing that best defense possible in your case.
An attorney may be able to find success at trial by contesting the prosecution’s evidence and demonstrating that there is not enough legitimately gathered evidence to find an accused guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Call a Mecklenburg County spousal abuse lawyer today to schedule a consultation on your case and learn more about your rights.
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