If you have been accused of committing domestic violence, you need to find a lawyer who is well versed in this type of case. It is important that you hire a professional for the job right away because your reputation could be at stake. Of course, you will face legal consequences, too. Here are just a few of the main reasons you need to hire an attorney as soon as possible.
If the accuser has already contacted the police, it is likely he or she is on the way to getting a restraining order against you. If you live with him or her, this can be inconvenient for you, even if the restraining order is only temporary. This also means you have to start being careful to avoid settings where he or she will be, which can be hard when you have mutual friends and family members. If you want to reduce the chance of the restraining order becoming permanent or restrictive for you, it is time to hire a lawyer as soon as you find out about the accusation.
If you have children, you might lose custody of them unless you act fast to get legal help. This is especially important if you have any evidence in your favor, giving you a chance to keep custody or at least regular visitation. Be sure to let your new attorney know you have children and risk losing custody if you do not act quickly to get your defense case started.
You also face serious penalties when it comes to the law if you are convicted of the domestic violence charges that have been filed. Depending on what you are accused of doing, you might have to do more than just spend the night in jail, since prison time is a possibility. In addition, you will likely have to pay for any property damage you caused during the event, whether you punched a hole in the wall or broke jewelry or other expensive items. Anger management classes may also be ordered, along with court fines. Of course, you will also have a conviction on your record that could negatively affect you in the future.
For these reasons, it makes sense to contact a lawyer for your domestic violence case right away. As soon as you are arrested, you need to start thinking about who you will call for representation. After all, it will likely be an uphill battle for you if there is solid evidence that you have hurt someone else or damaged property, so the sooner you fight the charges, the better.