Atlanta Domestic Violence Attorney

About Domestic Violence Charges

Domestic violence is a term used to describe various criminal offenses that are related to violence or injury between spouses, people who live together, family members or people in a romantic relationship. In Georgia, these offenses are typically covered under assault, aggravated assault, battery and aggravated battery. Domestic violence may be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the nature of the offense and whether the alleged offender has previously been convicted of this crime.

There are several factors that make domestic violence allegations so serious, making the immediate involvement of an Atlanta domestic violence defense lawyer all the more important. The criminal penalties that may be imposed are harsh, and these crimes are aggressively investigated by law enforcement and prosecuted by District Attorneys throughout Atlanta. When the police are called to the scene of an alleged domestic dispute, they will most likely make an arrest. Once an arrest is made, the determination of whether to press charges will lie in the hands of the prosecuting attorney, not the alleged victim. This makes a call to the police in anger or a misunderstanding that results in an arrest an extremely serious matter for the person accused of domestic violence. Even if the victim does not want to press charges, the District Attorney will have the authority to move forward with a case.

Penalties for Domestic Violence in Atlanta

Although the specific penalties may vary depending on the particular offense and jurisdiction, following are some of the penalties that may be imposed for a domestic violence conviction in Atlanta:

• Simple domestic violence (attempt or threat of violent injury, or intentionally causing physical harm) - misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature, punishable by up to 12 months in county jail.
• Aggravated domestic violence (attempt or threat of murder, robbery or rape, assault with a deadly weapon, maliciously causing harm to another person and rendering a part of his or her body useless or causing disfigurement) - felony offense, punishable by 3 to 20 years in state prison.
• Second or subsequent domestic violence offense (involving battery) - felony offense, punishable by 1 to 5 years in prison.

Our attorneys help clients in the face of same sex domestic violence, multiple domestic violence and standard domestic violence offenses throughout Atlanta.

To find out how we can help you, contact an Atlanta domestic violence attorney at our law firm today!