Charged with assault or family violence? Here's what's at stake: your record, your job, your home, access to your family and your kids, and depending on the charge, your freedom. But a charge is not a conviction, and the story the police report tells is rarely the whole story.
Understand what a family violence finding actually does. It stays on your record permanently, it cannot be sealed or expunged, it takes away your right to own a firearm, it can be used against you in a custody case, and it turns a second accusation into a felony. That's why the goal isn't just avoiding jail. It's avoiding the finding itself.
Here's the situation we see all the time: the person who called 911 doesn't want to press charges anymore. Maybe they never did. But it's not their decision. Once the State picks up a family violence case, only the State decides whether it goes forward. That's why these cases have to be defended.
So we go get the whole story. The statements, the photos, the 911 call, the history between the people involved. We make every effort to interview everyone involved, including the complaining witness. At every step, we make sure your side is actually heard.
Many of these cases resolve with probation rather than jail time. If you're already on probation and facing a possible violation, see our page on probation violations.
Whether the complaining witness wants to dismiss the case or not, you need someone in your corner who knows how these cases actually work. Don't wait for decisions to get made without you. One phone call tells you where you stand. The consultation is free.
