UConn Domestic Violence Lawyer

When facing allegations of domestic abuse, assistance from a knowledgeable UConn domestic violence lawyer can be crucial to productively resolving your criminal case.

What is Domestic Violence?

Any actions that cause physical harm, threaten to cause such harm, or verbally or emotionally abuse an immediate family or household member may constitute domestic violence under Connecticut’s penal code. Importantly, this means that a violent or aggressive act targeting a child, parent, relative by blood or marriage,  co-parent, or, in some instances, former spouses or intimate partners counts as domestic violence.

Upon being arrested for family violence, the accused party must appear in court within one business day for arraignment and a hearing regarding a potential temporary protective order. As such, cases involving family violence tend to move through the court system more quickly than other criminal allegations, at least in the early stages.

Additionally, the outcome of a related criminal case has no bearing on the outcome of any family court proceedings for domestic violence. Even an acquittal in criminal court could still leave a defendant subject to a protective order and potentially other sanctions in family court. A UConn attorney could offer further clarification about how these procedures work in a domestic violence case.

What are the Repercussions of Domestic Abuse Charges?

The criminal penalties associated with domestic violence depend entirely on the underlying charge that the abuse allegation is based on. For example, Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) §53a-182 defines disorderly conduct—one of the most common charges that comes up in domestic violence cases—as a class C misdemeanor. Conversely, assault of a pregnant women is a class A felony under C.G.S. §53a-59c if that offense leads directly to a miscarriage.

Additionally, protective orders may range in severity from a partial order that only prohibits further harassment and mistreatment to full orders that mandate physical separation between the involved parties and make it illegal for the defendant to have any form of contact whatsoever with the protected parties. Assistance from a seasoned lawyer can be crucial to managing a domestic violence case at UConn.

A UConn Domestic Violence Attorney Could Help

Domestic violence allegations should be taken extremely seriously. Even individuals with no prior criminal records may find themselves facing significant penalties in both criminal and family courts following this kind of allegation, especially if they proceed with their case without first retaining seasoned defense counsel.

Having a UConn domestic violence lawyer from Mark Sherman Law by your side could be the only way to effectively protect your future prospects. For more information, call today and click here to read our over 300 certified client reviews on Avvo.com.

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