THINGS TO KNOW!

Calling the Police:

Many times, a husband, wife, boyfriend, or girlfriend will call the police, merely trying to calm down a domestic situation. However, countless times, once a 911 call is placed, an arrest is made and domestic violence charges are filed.

Dropping the Charges:

Most prosecutors will not drop domestic violence charges -even when the alleged victim says that the charges were a mistake. This policy is intended to protect a battered wife from being bullied into dropping legitimate charges. However, in many cases, an angry call to the police sets a prosecution in motion that is virtually impossible to stop. Furthermore, many times the accuser makes the situation worse by attempting to halt the prosecution by personally contacting the authorities.

Accuser Not Present at Trial:

In the last few years, there has been an increased focus in the prosecution of domestic violence cases. In fact, many cases are prosecuted without the accuser being present at trial. In those cases, the State uses evidentiary rules that allow the arresting officer to testify about what the accuser said at the scene. Furthermore, recent U.S. Supreme Court cases allow the prosecution to present 911 tapes and photos as evidence at trial.

Public Opinion and the Dollar:

Domestic violence is a real problem in this country. In recent years, there has been an increased focus on domestic violence prosecution. Moreover, in today’s political climate, many police departments and prosecutor’s offices are given State and Federal grant money to assist in prosecution.

What to do:

Before you try to navigate a complicated legal system where you do not know the rules of the game nor the players involved, call Wyatt & Underwood. We offer free initial consultations, payments plans, evening hours, and Saturday appointments.