Protecting Yourself During A Domestic Violence Case

If you have been charged with a domestic violence offense in Florida, it is easy to panic, particularly if you have no support system behind you. However, there are things you can do to protect yourself and your rights during a domestic violence case. Making good choices during the period when your case is active can help both your attorney and the court eventually make the right decisions.

Follow All Court Orders

This may seem self-explanatory to the average person, but many defendants try to ‘bend the rules’ or otherwise get around court orders they deem unfair or unnecessary. This is never a good idea, and it is particularly a bad idea if one chooses to ignore a domestic violence injunction (a restraining order, which is a court order). Ignoring a domestic violence injunction for any reason will usually result in an arrest, if not jail time.

It is equally crucial to document and report any attempts by the alleged victim to contact you – even if they have good intentions and may ‘just want to talk,’ a court may see the contact as evidence of malicious intent on your part if you do not report the interaction. Transparency is a defendant’s greatest ally if they have truly done nothing wrong.

Retain All Possible Evidence

While your attorney is the one who leads your defense, it is important that you provide them with as much ammunition as possible, so to speak. Any evidence of any kind, from receipts to text messages to photos and medical records, will be useful in arguing your side of the story. Where possible, witness testimony can also help, particularly if they can testify to objective facts and not merely their impressions.

Different types of evidence can be more helpful in differing situations – for example, medical records showing superficial injuries can help to undermine an alleged victim’s statements that they suffered long-term damage. While many of these decisions may rest with your attorney, it is a good idea to provide them with as much relevant evidence as possible.

Call A West Palm Beach Domestic Violence Attorney

Being charged with a crime of domestic violence is a high-stakes event, and the consequences of a conviction are incredibly serious. A West Palm Beach criminal defense attorney from Perlet & Shiner, P.A. can help ensure you get your day in court, but your conduct can also make a difference in your case. Call our office today to speak to an attorney.

Source:

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0700-0799/0741/Sections/0741.31.html