When charged with the crime of domestic violence, the turnover time to address these accusations in a courtroom or legal setting can be extremely quick. For example, if you are held in custody after a domestic violence arrest, you may be required to make your first court appearance within a day or two of being charged. Within four weeks or less, you could be in pretrial hearings and in another few weeks, a jury trial. Without the right legal representation, you could be sentenced to jail time within a few months of the day you were arrested.
If you have been accused of domestic violence, do not hesitate to consult legal counsel. In this two-part article, a domestic violence defense attorney in Tampa with The Rickman Law Firm will discuss domestic violence charges on the state and federal level. We will also provide you with a few strong defenses against wrongful accusations of domestic violence.
Some common crimes associated with domestic violence include assault, battery, sexual assault, stalking, kidnapping, and false imprisonment, among other criminal charges. In Florida, domestic violence is defined as a criminal offense that stems from a person inflicting physical injury on a current or former spouse, significant other, or household member. There are thousands of domestic violence accusations that are made every year. Although many of these claims are valid, some are simply not true.
As domestic violence cases can unfold quickly once a defendant is charged, the discovery period for these cases presents a variety of challenges to inexperienced legal counsel. This is another reason why it’s critical that those accused of the crime immediately consult the best domestic violence defense lawyer in Tampa. For most domestic violence cases, the prosecution will rely on medical records and witness testimonies, among other forms of evidence (i.e. photographs of abuse, text messages, etc.) that support the claim. An experienced defense attorney has a deep understanding of this legal process and knows how to quickly investigate a claim. This includes obtaining any domestic violence reports, written statements, and other forms of evidence before a trial commences and speaking with any relevant parties that can shed light on the accusations.
To learn about how a domestic violence charge can be classified as a federal crime and a few strong defenses against false accusations, please read the second part of this article.
For a free consultation with a domestic violence defense attorney in Tampa, please contact The Rickman Law Firm today.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.