As you probably know, domestic violence is a problem in many homes in America. If you were accused of causing violence in your home, this can lead to serious charges and penalties.
The reality is that you are not alone when it comes to facing charges for domestic violence. Police agencies outside New York City reported 27,161 offenses by intimate partners in 2017. Of those, women were the victims in 80 percent of the cases, while men made up the remaining 20 percent of victims.
The good news about domestic assaults in New York is that they are decreasing. Compared to 2016, 2017 saw 4 percent fewer domestic assaults. Police also responded to around 2 percent fewer domestic incidents in 2017 than in 2016.
How is New York handling domestic violence cases?
In 2017, many of the domestic violence cases in New York were heard in one of 39 integrated domestic violence courts. These courts help approximately 1,776 families and heard around 8,510 cases overall.
Did you know that pets are protected, too?
With a temporary order of protection, family judges are able to issue protection orders or companion animals. Interestingly, requests for these protections rose by around 41 percent from 2016 to 2017.
What should you do if you’re facing domestic violence charges?
Domestic violence charges are nothing to ignore, even if you know that you should be found innocent of the other party’s claims. Domestic violence cases are full of emotion, and it’s possible for a strong story from the prosecution to sway a jury or judge. It’s in your best interests to work with a defense attorney, so you have the best protection against unfair treatment in court.
What are the possible penalties for domestic assault convictions?
It always depends on the case, but some of the possible penalties include a potential prison sentence of up to 25 years in prison and fines of up to $5,000. Strangulation cases are felonies and have a minimum sentence of 3.5 years. It’s possible to go to prison for up to 15 years. Other offenses, which may be class A misdemeanors, typically carry penalties of up to a year in prison and fines of up to $1,000.
The good news is that there are strong defenses for violent acts, like if you had to protect yourself or if you can justify yourself through other means, like proving there was a form of permission to act violently.
