Domestic Violence Defense Lawyer Pearland TX
When you learn that you are facing domestic violence charges, it is time to speak with a Pearland, TX domestic violence defense lawyer you can rely on for your case. Often, if someone learns that they are facing these charges, one thing they will do is try to speak with the person who is filing the charges. Surely, they can be reasoned with, right? This is never a good idea and any communication you have with the other party must go through a lawyer. Given the nature of domestic violence charges and the intimacy often involved (typically a family member or a partner), it can be especially hurtful to hear these charges brought against you. This is one of the reasons it is crucial to rely on a lawyer from Keith B. French Law, PLLC. While you may be dealing with the pain and emotional aspect of these charges, your lawyer can focus on the legal aspects and build a defense on your behalf.
What can domestic violence charges do?
Domestic violence charges can ruin people’s lives, especially when they are unfounded. Not only will your family, friends, and co-workers see you differently, but you may be forced to leave your job, spend time in jail, pay fines, and even have child custody destroyed. This is why it is crucial you do not take these charges into your own hands, but instead rely on a Pearland domestic violence lawyer.
What are the defenses to domestic violence?
If you are facing these charges, you want to know that your lawyer will be able to defend you when you go to court. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your domestic violence charges, your defense may look like this:
- Your partner lied. Especially in circumstances where you are sharing custody of children with an ex-partner or spouse, your ex may be outright lying about what happened or may spin something that was an accident into domestic violence. This is common in bitter relationships.
- You defended yourself. Your lawyer may also use the defense that what you were doing was actually in self-defense. If you were being assaulted or felt that you were being threatened with injury, your lawyer may say that what you did was out of self-defense.
- What happened was not intentional. In Texas, a person needs to intentionally and knowingly commit violence against someone they have an intimate relationship with for it to be considered domestic violence. If your lawyer can prove this was not the case, you may not be charged with domestic violence.
Do I Need an Attorney’s Help if I’m Innocent?
If you’ve been wrongfully accused of a family violence offense, it is critically important that you connect with an experienced Pearland, TX domestic violence defense lawyer as soon as you possibly can. As the dedicated legal team at Keith B. French Law, PLLC can attest, those who have been wrongfully accused of domestic violence tend to panic in the face of their circumstances and unintentionally act in ways that compromise the integrity of their defense cases as a result. Don’t panic. It’s easier said than done but don’t panic. Call a skilled Pearland domestic violence defense lawyer at our firm who will aggressively advocate on your behalf instead.
You know that you’re innocent but prosecutors, the court, and any of your peers who may be impaneled as a jury do not know that you’re innocent. It’s critically important to mount the strongest defense possible under the circumstances or you could be convicted of a crime or crimes that you didn’t commit. Working with an experienced attorney at Keith B. French Law, PLLC will ensure that you benefit from the kind of aggressive professional representation that offers the best possible chance of either being acquitted or having the charges against you dropped. In the event that a conviction can’t be avoided, we’ll do our utmost to ensure that the consequences you’ll face are as mitigated as possible.
Whatever you do, don’t attempt to “DIY” your domestic violence case. The stakes you’re facing are far too high to take an approach that is (statistically speaking) practically doomed to fail. Instead, invest in quality representation to better ensure that you emerge from this challenging situation relatively unscathed.
Will This Situation Affect My Child Custody Case?
If you are accused of domestic violence while navigating a child custody matter, your situation may affect your child custody case unless it is resolved in your favor. You may also be subject to temporary restrictions in re: access to your child until the criminal case against you is resolved. This is just another reason why it is so important to seek experienced professional guidance in an effort to mount the strongest defense possible under the circumstances.
What Do I Do Now?
If you’ve scheduled a risk-free, confidential case evaluation with a savvy Pearland domestic violence defense lawyer at our firm, you’ve already taken a strong proactive step toward achieving a favorable outcome to your legal situation. In the meantime, you need to honor the terms of any restraining or protective orders that have been entered against you to the letter. Do not give prosecutors or a judge any reason to believe that you are anything but a rule-abiding individual respectful of boundaries. Any violations of such orders on your part could undermine the integrity of your defense.
If you need something – say, property from your dwelling – that you can’t get without violating the terms of an order, connect with our firm. We’ll help you to figure out a way to get you what you need without compromising the integrity of your case.
What Could Happen With A Domestic Violence Conviction
When you are facing domestic violence charges, you may be wondering what is up ahead. Sure, it is important to fight these charges, but what if you think you can argue your case on your own? What is the worst that could happen? We’re glad you asked. Many people think they do not have a choice when it comes to charges. They may think that lawyers are not truly helpful, they may think they have the know-how to fight these charges on their own, or they may believe that they can live with the consequences and try to move on. However, domestic violence charges are serious and a conviction could mean changing your entire life.
What could come of these charges?
If you decide to represent yourself and do not get these charges reduced or removed, there are a few things you can expect to happen. You could:
- Lose your gun. If you legally own a gun, a domestic violence conviction could mean that you either surrender your gun to the police or need to sell them. In the state of Texas, you may not be able to carry a firearm for up to 5 years following your sentence. Due to federal law, the Second Amendment will not protect your right to firearms if you are convicted of this type of charge. You may also risk getting a hunting license with a conviction.
- Have difficulty with work. If you have a domestic violence conviction, you may not be able to get the job you have always wanted, or one even close to what you want. It is common for prospective employers to run background checks when someone applies for a job and if you have a criminal conviction, like domestic violence, on your record, you may not be hirable. It can also make maintaining your job as a teacher, police officer, or other city or state employee difficult.
- Have difficulty with school. Many schools ask if you have any criminal convictions when you are applying. It is possible that schools will deny you the opportunity for education or rescind scholarships due to domestic violence convictions.
- You may lose your home. If you live with the person who is accusing you of domestic violence, a judge may ask you to immediately vacate the premises. This makes it even more difficult to find a new place to live because there are many landlords who will ask about criminal convictions and may not rent property to someone with this conviction.
- Be deported. If you are not an American citizen and you are convicted, you could face being deported or you may not be allowed to ever re-enter the United States.
These are just a few of the reasons you should take domestic violence charges seriously. Do not try to defend yourself. That can only make things more difficult for you. If you need help with these charges, reach out to a trusted criminal defense lawyer now.
Find Help For Your Domestic Violence Charges
These are some examples of how your lawyer may choose to defend you when you are facing such serious charges. Domestic violence, in particular, can be tricky. There are often many emotions behind it and maybe months or years of relationship problems that play into it. If you are facing these charges, you should not defend yourself. Instead, rely on your trusted Pearland domestic violence lawyer from Keith B. French Law, PLLC.
