Criminal Defense Against Domestic Violence Charges in Virginia
Domestic violence (DV) is a national problem, and the courts have really started strictly enforcing the laws. The potential negative side effects for someone charged with DV can be devastating to your life, career, family and your personal liberties:
- Criminal consequences: Like any other violent crime, conviction of domestic violence carries possible fines and jail time. Further, the Lautenberg Amendment prohibits anyone who is convicted of misdemeanor DV from ever possessing a firearm. If you are a hunter or gun enthusiast, this could be a serious limitation on your personal liberty.
- Family consequences: On the domestic side, you could face possible consequences like the loss of the right to see your spouse, the loss of your parental rights to see your children, or possibly a divorce.
- Career: Employers generally don't want to hire someone who has been convicted of domestic violence, so this conviction could seriously limit your job prospects. Due to the Lautenberg Amendment, people whose jobs depend on the use of firearms — police, corrections officers, security offices, and military personnel — have severe limitations going forward in their professions.
Considering these potential consequences, you need the best criminal defense representation possible. Our Richmond domestic violence defense lawyers understand the seriousness of the situation. These are huge consequences, and we do not take that lightly.
Experience Working for You
At Cravens & Noll, our attorneys have handled well over a thousand of these cases with a very high degree of success in limiting the effect of the Lautenberg Amendment and in protecting the criminal records of the accused. Similar to our approach in other violent crime cases like assault and battery and murder or manslaughter, we begin our approach in a collaborative way with a view towards keeping the family intact whenever possible. When the collaborative approach doesn't work, we prepare to aggressively defend our clients' rights at trial.
Facing Criminal Charges? Remain Silent!
If you have any police contact regarding possible criminal involvement — an arrest, formal criminal charges, the police knocking on your door to just "ask you a few questions" — the best advice we can give you is be quiet! Exercise your right to remain silent, or your words will be used against you. If you must talk to someone, talk to a lawyer.
Chesterfield Spousal Abuse Defense Lawyer
We do not think you should have to pay us for our job interview.
We offer free initial conferences to prospective clients throughout Virginia. With offices in Chesterfield, Henrico and the Tri Cities area, we represent clients throughout Virginia, the United States and internationally. Contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation with one of our lawyers.
