Plantation Domestic Violence Defense Lawyer
Domestic violence is a serious criminal charge that carries a potential year-long jail sentence, probation, heavy fines, a batterer’s intervention program, community service, the loss of various rights, and more. If you were arrested for domestic violence, you need to talk to a Plantation domestic violence lawyer at Haber | Blank LLP as soon as possible.
What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence, which is also called intimate partner violence, spousal abuse, and domestic abuse, is the use of physical violence, the threat of physical violence, or emotional abuse against a family or household member. While wives and girlfriends are the most common victims in domestic violence cases, children, parents, elderly family members, husbands, and others can be victims. Florida defines domestic violence as an act of violence when the defendant has one of the following relationships with the alleged victim (the victim is a household or family member of the perpetrator):
- Spouse or former spouse
- Intimate partner or former intimate partner who live together
- Former intimate partners
- Person related by marriage or blood
- Persons residing together as if a family
- Persons who resided together as if a family in the past
- Parents with a child in common, regardless of marriage status
However, not all acts of violence between two of the above people are classified as domestic violence. Two people who are dating, but not living together and do not have a child together, would not constitute household or family members.
Acts of Violence That Fall Under Domestic Violence
- Assault or aggravated assault
- Battery or aggravated battery
- Stalking or aggravated stalking
- Sexual assault
- Sexual battery
- False imprisonment
- Kidnapping
- Any other criminal offense that causes injury or death
Penalties for a Domestic Violence Conviction
Domestic violence is a first degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail. There are harsh mandatory minimum sentencing requirements for domestic violence that are not present in other first degree misdemeanors. These are as follows:
- First Offense—10 days in jail (minimum of 15 days in jail if the offense happened in the presence of a child household member under the age of 16)
- Second Offense—15 days in jail
- Third Offense—20 days in jail
The first degree misdemeanor charge for domestic violence is in addition to any other criminal charges that the prosecution brings for the act of violence itself (stalking, battery, sexual assault, etc.). As such, defendants arrested for domestic violence almost always face multiple offenses at the same time, which enhances their potential jail or prison sentence.
Call a Plantation Domestic Violence Defense Lawyer Today
In addition to any jail or prison term you may be facing, you need to understand the full gravity of your situation. A guilty verdict may also result in the loss of child custody or visitation rights, the loss of the right to bear arms, the loss of the right to vote, and much more. We urge you to contact a Plantation domestic violence lawyer at Haber | Blank LLP today at 954-767-0300 to schedule a free consultation, whether the charges set against you are grounded in fact or not.
