Passion and the Police – Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is not something most people like to discuss, especially so close to Valentine’s Day. Even when love is in the air, these types of allegations are numerous and offenses that fall under Georgia’s Family Violence Act can have significant consequences and do not have to be between romantic partners to qualify as domestic or family violence offenses under Georgia law.

Georgia’s Family Violence Act provides that one of the following relationships must exist before an offense will qualify as an act of family violence:

A. past or present spouses,
B. persons who are parents of the same child,
C. parents and children,
D. stepparents and stepchildren,
E. foster parents and foster children, or
F. other persons living or formerly living in the same
household.

This means that you can even be charged with a Family Violence Act offense with a roommate or child. If you are arrested for this type of offense, it means that you could have an increased bail, have to wait in jail for days to see a judge, or even be prevented from returning to your home or having contact with some of your family members.

If you are convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, then you are generally prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition, under federal law. The misdemeanor does not need to have “domestic violence” in the title or in the description of the crime. Any misdemeanor that has the use or attempted use of force or the attempted use of a deadly weapon as an element qualifies, if the defendant and the victim have the required relationships described in the federal law.

Facing a family violence charge can be disruptive to your whole life, but there are many defenses that can be raised by an experienced criminal defense firm to make sure everything that can be done is done to prevent a conviction for an offense that carries such long-term impacts.