Domestic Violence Defense Lawyers
Under New Hampshire criminal law domestic violence is not a charge in and of itself but a general term used to describe any crime committed against a spouse or ex-spouse, household member, relative, or current or former romantic partner. Examples of charges that are frequently classified as domestic violence include:
- simple assault,
- second-degree assault,
- first-degree assault,
- criminal threatening, and
- criminal mischief.
Often when a defendant is facing domestic violence charges a no-contact bail order is imposed that prevents him from having any contact with the alleged victim. This can be true even if the alleged victim wants to have contact and even in cases when the parties have children together and function as a household.
Attempting to get these no-contact orders lifted is often a top priority when domestic violence charges are brought. It is important to keep in mind that prosecutors and judges do not have to follow the wishes of a victim in this situation and can maintain a no contact order even when the victim no longer wants it. For this reason Cohen & Winters represent defendants, or victims facing this situation.
A key issue for many defendants facing domestic violence charges is that federal law prohibits any person who has been convicted of a crime of domestic violence offense from possessing a firearm. This is true regardless of the sentence imposed by the state court judge.
A domestic violence conviction can greatly affect the outcome of a divorce or custody case. This means that if you are involved in this type of dispute you should consult an attorney before you consider pleading out to this type of charge.
If you’ve been accused of domestic violence, don’t wait — the family law attorneys at Cohen & Winters can help your case. Contact us today for a free consultation.
