The last few months have been difficult for many Floridians. Those in tumultuous marriages faced even tougher circumstances when Florida’s stay-at-home orders were in place. In fact, in Florida’s southern Treasure Coast and counties of Okeechobee counties, domestic violence cases increased 79% during Florida’s shutdown.
Spending so much time with your spouse or significant other can lead to bitter fights – some that even turn physical. A physical fight can get out of control quickly. Before you know it, police could arrest you for domestic violence. What will happen then?
When you are arrested
First, if police arrest you for domestic violence, you quickly need to find an experienced criminal defense attorney. Preferably, you would do this before making any statements to police about the incident that led to your arrest. Having an attorney present when police question you is important because your attorney can help advocate for your rights and help you avoid incriminating yourself.
An attorney also can review the evidence in your case to see if police made any mistakes or if there is a way to get your charges reduced.
Potential charges and penalties
If police charge you with domestic violence, you could face misdemeanor or felony charges. Police file felony when someone is injured in a domestic violence incident. With a felony conviction, you would face not only jail time, but you also could lose your ability to carry a firearm and impact your current and future employment.
You also may need to complete family counseling or anger management classes so that you can handle future conflict with your spouse, partner or family member better.
Domestic violence is a serious offense, so if you end up facing charges, you need to do everything you can to protect your rights and work toward