Claris Law Legal Blogging Community

Editor: Tampa Criminal Attorneys
Profession: Tampa Defense Attorneys

Category: Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a serious crime. It should be prosecuted whenever someone chooses to use force to settle a dispute with someone else. However, there are times when the force is so slight it does not warrant the involvement of the police or state attorney's office. Many times it is the vicious nature of the verbal argument that has more to do with the 911 phone call than the actual contact. In other words, the police are used to win the argument, rather than prevent further violence.

We recently defended a man for poking his wife's chest during an argument. There was no injury, and the event was isolated. The charge was eventually dismissed, but that did not prevent the client from being arrested and incarcerated in Tampa's county jail. The threat of prosecution also forced him to hire our office.

Unfortunately, when the police leave the scene of a domestic incident without making an arrest they have concerns about the actions of both parties after they are gone. However, if one of the parties goes to jail the potential for further violence is eliminated. But what if police arrest the wrong person. Everyone involved in the rest of the process has to be convinced of the mistake before the charges will be dismissed or dropped. The political nature of this type of charge cannot be understated. Everybody involved in the prosecution of a domestic violence charge have an interest in avoiding the appearance of looking soft on domestic violence. Regrettably, even a domestic violence charge that involves minor contact can have a long-lasting impact on someone's future. The situation is magnified when the victim files a domestic violence injunction against the defendant. A minor incident turns into major incident in a hurry and legal representation becomes critical.

To find out the proper steps to take when defending against a domestic violence charge call our office at 813-228-7095 or link to tampa criminal attorney.