The penalties a person may face due to a domestic violence charge go beyond what a court may mandate. A conviction may ruin a person’s reputation, career prospects, and relationship with their family and friends. Our Lawyers could have the experience needed to help you fight any allegations of misconduct. A seasoned Attorney could help you avoid any West Palm Beach domestic violence penalties. Call today to learn how our Legal Professionals could help you.
Contacting an Attorney
A person facing domestic violence penalties in West Palm Beach should contact one of our Lawyers immediately. When someone is charged with domestic violence, they are taken to Jail and are not released until they see a Judge. A local Attorney who knows the Judge, Prosecutor, and how the court system works could be very beneficial for a Defendant. These relationships can help get the accused person a favorable deal when it comes to restrictions like bail, testing, or counseling.
Domestic Violence Ramifications
Domestic violence penalties in West Palm Beach depend on the charges. If a person is charged with simple assault, the penalties range from the minimum of paying only a fine to a maximum of 60 days in jail, a $500 fine, and up to six months’ probation. If they are charged with domestic battery, which is also domestic violence, they may face up to one year in jail and/or a fine of $1,000.
Most likely, the accused individual will face probation with treatment. Their Lawyer should be thinking about how to get them into a diversion program for assault or battery that could result in all the charges against them being dismissed. This may be contingent on no further violence between the parties and the accused person willing to do anything within reason to show they are rehabilitated and are not likely to commit another act of violence.
Long-Term Consequences
There are immediate, short-term consequences and consequences of a domestic violence conviction in West Palm Beach that follow one for the rest of their life. The conviction stays on their record forever and there may be unknown effects in the future.
The long-term consequences may result in difficulty in getting employment into certain professions such as law enforcement or healthcare. The individual may not be in a position of trust when working with vulnerable people where they might commit an act of violence. An employer could also be concerned for the safety of all other employees and if someone is convicted of committing an act of domestic violence, then it could make a potential employer refuse to hire them.
A conviction may also affect a person’s ability to live in certain places. If they wish to rent a home or an apartment with an association involved, they may be required to have an interview. A criminal background check for criminal convictions could disqualify someone from being able to live in some apartment complexes, homeowner’s associations, or rental communities.
Individuals who have been convicted of committing domestic violence will also be barred from carrying a firearm.
Enhanced Penalties
Enhanced penalties are considered whenever a person goes to jail or prison. House arrest or a long-term treatment program of six to eight months of weekly counseling could be an enhancement to a person’s penalty. An enhanced penalty could be that a person may not be allowed to consume any alcohol and are subject to random testing for that. Another enhanced penalty might be a restraining order or a no-contact order where they are not allowed to have any contact with the other party, whether that is a spouse or partner, or even a child.
A seasoned Attorney in West Palm Beach may be able to minimize the effects of enhanced domestic violence penalties. The individual might face time in jail or prison depending on the facts and the allegations. They may be exposed to counseling and restrictions of their movement, mobility, and ability to live the life they want.
Civil Protection Order
When penalties are associated with domestic violence, a civil protection order could provide another level of protection to the plaintiff. Perhaps the accused person resolved the case of domestic violence and is on probation or controlled release, or was ordered to not have any contact with the other party. If there is also a civil protection order and the person violates the no-contact order, a separate crime could be charged as a first-degree misdemeanor for violating the civil protection order as well as an order of contempt issued by the court for violating the court order to stay away.
The civil protection order adds additional protection to the plaintiff and gives the Prosecutor another avenue to prosecute the accused person if they violate the conditions of their pretrial release, the sentence for the domestic violence, or the provisions of the civil protection order.
In order to avoid any West Palm Beach domestic violence penalties, contact one of our Lawyers and start building your defense today.
