Flint Domestic Violence Defense Attorneys

Tirelessly Defending Clients from Michigan Domestic Violence Charges

Domestic violence charges can have serious consequences on all aspects of your life, often resulting in jail time and damage to your reputation. If you’re worried about the potential penalties of the criminal charges you’re facing, you should get legal guidance from Flint, Michigan domestic violence lawyers who have successfully defended clients from such allegations.

The skilled domestic violence defense lawyers at Manley & Manley have in-depth knowledge of Michigan domestic violence laws and can use it to formulate personalized defense strategies for each client. If you need help safeguarding your rights and reputation after being accused of domestic violence, call our Flint law office to schedule a consultation with our compassionate legal team.

What Is Considered Domestic Violence in Michigan?

Domestic violence charges may be brought against you if a member of your family or household accuses you of committing assault, battery, or any other violent or threatening offense. This means you could be charged with domestic violence, whether you caused physical harm or committed emotional abuse to certain members of your household or family, including:

Your current or former spouse
Someone you currently or formerly have had a sexual or dating relationship with
Someone you live with or used to live with
Your child
Your child’s other parent
Anyone you’re related to by blood or marriage

If the alleged victim accuses you of domestic violence, your specific charges could vary depending on the actions you’re accused of committing. Some criminal charges you might face when accused of domestic violence in Michigan could include:

Domestic assault
Aggravated domestic assault
Assault and battery
Assault with a dangerous weapon
Harassment
Stalking
Strangulation
Sexual assault
Trespassing
Destruction of property

The criminal charges you face will vary based on whether you’re accused of causing physical harm, threatening to cause physical harm, using a dangerous weapon to hurt or threaten the alleged victim, destroying their property, or committing similar violent crimes.

Regardless of your specific charge, you need to seek legal counsel from a skilled Flint domestic violence attorney if you want the opportunity to defend your name and reputation. Call our Flint law office today to speak with experienced domestic violence lawyers with the skills to protect you in the court system.

What Are the Criminal Penalties of Michigan Domestic Violence Charges?

Domestic violence charges should be taken seriously because they can lead to harsh penalties, including jail time, fines, and required treatment programs. Your punishment will vary based on your criminal record, the harm you allegedly caused the victim, and whether your charge is a felony or misdemeanor. A Flint domestic violence defense attorney can consider these details before telling you which penalties to expect if convicted.

The penalties for Michigan domestic violence charges often include:

First offense: Misdemeanor charge with up to 93 days of jail time and up to $500 in fines
Second offense: Misdemeanor charge with up to one year in jail and up to $1,000 in fines
Third offense: Felony charge with up to five years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines

Most domestic violence convictions also require you to enroll in anger management courses and could involve a period of probation. In addition, they can result in personal protection orders being issued, requiring you to stay away from the alleged victim.

In some cases, the penalties for even a first offense can be harsher than typical domestic violence charges. For example, if you’re accused of using a dangerous weapon or causing severe injuries to a household or family member, you could end up with a longer jail sentence and higher fines than average. More severe domestic violence charges include:

Aggravated domestic assault: This could occur if the victim suffered serious injuries requiring medical attention. A first conviction of aggravated domestic assault is a misdemeanor resulting in up to one year in jail and up to $1,000 in fines, while a second conviction is a felony resulting in up to five years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines
Assault with a dangerous weapon: If you’re convicted of this serious criminal offense, you face a felony charge resulting in up to four years in prison and fines up to $2,000
Assault with intent to commit great bodily harm less than murder: This felony domestic violence charge could lead to up to ten years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines

If you want to minimize or avoid jail time, fines, and other penalties, you need a Flint domestic violence attorney to defend you in court. Experienced attorneys have the legal skills to argue for their clients to get the case dismissed, charges reduced to lesser offenses, or a not-guilty outcome. When you’re ready to learn how our Flint, Michigan domestic violence lawyers can defend you from serious domestic violence accusations, call our Flint law office for skilled legal representation.

What Are the Collateral Consequences of Domestic Violence Charges in Michigan?

While jail time is a common punishment to worry about with domestic violence convictions, it’s only one of many consequences to consider. Certain penalties can affect your life much longer than a jail sentence, especially when it comes to felony convictions. This is important to know as you prepare to get legal defense help from a Flint, Michigan domestic violence defense attorney.

One way domestic violence convictions can affect your life is by keeping you from getting certain jobs. Most employers conduct background checks and will see your domestic violence conviction on your criminal record. This can also make it difficult to be eligible for any professional licenses you need for your career.

If you’re going through a child custody case, your domestic violence charges could become a barrier to getting the outcome you’re hoping for, as they could be used against you. This is especially true if your domestic violence charges involve your children. So, it’s important to get your domestic violence charges dismissed or reduced if you want to keep your child custody and visitation rights.

Other rights could also be affected by domestic violence convictions, such as your right to own a firearm. Most felony convictions take away this right regardless of the crime, but when you’re facing domestic violence charges, even a misdemeanor could remove your right to own or buy a firearm. This is especially an issue if your career requires you to carry a gun. So if this right is important to you, it’s essential that you get legal defense assistance from a Flint domestic violence defense attorney.

If you’re worried about these or other potential consequences – such as immigration issues or difficulty getting approved for housing due to your criminal record – it’s time to call our Flint criminal defense law firm for guidance through the legal process. Our domestic violence defense attorneys have handled all kinds of domestic violence cases for countless clients, so you can rest assured we’ll provide the quality legal representation you deserve.

How Can Flint Domestic Violence Lawyers Defend You from Criminal Charges?

Facing domestic violence charges can feel devastating due to the numerous consequences of a conviction. Fortunately, skilled Flint violent crime defense lawyers are well-versed in the many legal defenses that could work for your case, depending on your specific domestic violence charge and the evidence against you.

Some of the legal defenses a Flint domestic violence attorney could use for your case include:

You acted in self-defense or defense of others, and can prove that the alleged victim was the instigator of domestic assault
You did not intend to make contact with or hurt the alleged victim
You’re facing false allegations from someone who wishes to harm your reputation or affect the outcome of your child custody case
The evidence against you is insufficient or inaccurate, as there’s no solid proof or corroborating witnesses who can support the domestic violence accusations you face
The law enforcement officers who arrested you for domestic assault violated your rights
You don’t have a prior history of domestic violence, domestic abuse, or other violent crimes

Your Flint, Michigan domestic violence defense lawyer can determine which criminal defense strategy makes sense for your case, or they might decide a plea bargain is best. If this is your first domestic violence charge, you could be eligible for a probationary program that requires you to get counseling and take anger management classes in exchange for dismissal of the domestic violence charge.

If you want to learn which criminal defense strategy is right for your domestic assault case, you should contact a trusted criminal defense firm to discuss your options. At Manley & Manley, our violent crime defense lawyers have successfully argued many domestic violence cases for clients and are ready to do the same for you. Call our Flint criminal law firm at 810-374-0240 to speak with experienced Flint violent crime defense lawyers.