Sometimes, marriages don’t end well. You and your spouse may have had more than a few heated arguments over the years. Now, you have decided to divorce because your marriage just isn’t working. Yet divorce brings even more stress and emotion into your relationship.
You end up in a bitter argument one evening while moving out and now you’re facing domestic violence charges. How will that impact your divorce and your ability to have custody time with your kids?
Understanding domestic violence charges
Domestic violence charges are serious. You can face domestic violence charges even if no physical confrontation occurred. You can face domestic violence charges if you:
- Threaten your spouse
- Verbally abuse your spouse
- Stalk your spouse
Your spouse also may file for an order of protection against you.
What to do when facing domestic violence charges
If you are facing domestic violence charges, you need to consult with a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. An attorney can present a defense against the charges and work to get the charges reduced or dismissed. You also need to consult an attorney if your spouse receives an order of protection. You want to ensure you don’t violate that order.
If a court convicts you of domestic violence or you violate a protection order, that can impact your ability to have unsupervised custody time with your child. You also likely will have to pay fines and possibly serve time in jail with a domestic violence conviction. Finally, if you receive a felony domestic violence conviction, that can impact your ability to secure a good job and rent a nice place to live, both of which will affect your child too.
By seeking an attorney’s help, you can work to get the best outcome possible if you’re facing domestic violence charges.
