Five typical inquiries regarding arrests for domestic violence
InVirginia,domesticviolenceisaseriousoffensethatmightresultinprison timeifyouarefoundguilty.Thefactthat domestic violence and gun rights in virginia areinthetopthree(3)statesinthenationforviolenceagainst womenisoneoftheissuesthatjudgesandprosecutorshave.Thisindicates thattheypursuethemvehemently.However,ifyouhavebeenaccusedof domesticabuseinVirginia,thereareanumberofquestionsthatneedtobe addressed.
Was that sufficient for the police to make an arrest of me?
Boththepoliceandprosecutorsseedomesticviolenceasa"zerotolerance" offense.ThismeansthatwheneverthereiseventheslightesthintthataCDV offensehasaplace,thepolicearerequiredtomakeanarrest.Manyofmyclients aresurprisedtolearnthatyoudonothavetohavehaddirectphysicalcontact withthevictiminordertobechargedwithdomesticabuse.Allthatwasrequired wasforyoutomakethethreatandfortheotherpersontotakeyouseriously enoughtofollowthroughonit.It'scrucialtokeepinmindthatanarrestjust marksthestartoftheprocess;inordertosecureaconviction,theprosecution mustestablishitscasebeyondareasonabledoubt.
How would the police know if I was told not to speak with the victim at my bond hearing?
Asastandardbondcondition,ajudgewilldemandthatthedefendantandvictimhaveno contact.Evenwhenyoucohabitateandraisechildrentogether,thisstilloccurs.Ifthereis communicationorevenanattempttocontactthevictim,thepolicewillprobablyfindout, andyouwillbebroughtbackintocourttodefendyouractionsandthereasonsyou disobeyedthejudge'sorders.Policefrequentlyhaveavictim'sadvocatewhomaintains ongoingcontactwiththevictim.
What is the duration of the no-contact order?
Therestrictionisinplaceupuntilthepointatwhichthecaseiseitherdismissedor resolvedbyaguiltyplea.A domestic violence law in virginia mayoccasionallychange theno-contactorderandissueafreshdirectivethatisbinding.
How may a no-contact order be overturned?
Thisisusuallydonewhenthedefendantiscontestingtheirarrest.Therewillbea hearinginfrontofajudge,andtheaccusedvictimwillneedtoprovidetheirconsent. Onlyajudgehastheauthoritytochangethebond'sno-contactclauses.
Can the victim ask to have the charges dropped?
ForallDVoffenses,thereisastate-wide"nodrop"policeinforce.Thisindicatesthat chargescannotbedroppedattheaccusedvictim'srequestbythepoliceorCDV prosecutor.
TheattorneysatTheLawOfficesOfSRIS,P.C.haveexperiencehelping clientsdiscoverlegalsolutionstotheirproblems. Ourhighlyqualified solicitorsprovideusefuladviceonhowtoproceed.Weareheretohelp, thereforedependingonthespecificsofyourcase,wewilldoeverythingin ourpowertosecurethebestoutcomeforyou.Our domestic violence charges in virginia willthoroughlyreviewyourcaseinordertoprovideyouwiththe bestlegalcounselpossible.Getincontactwithusrightawaytolearnmore abouthowtoproceed.