Important Facts About Domestic Violence in Las Vegas

Having a basic understanding of what constitutes domestic violence is necessary for understanding what it is and what it isn't. Domestic violence can be defined as a violent confrontation between people who live together, family members, or between a couple who are dating. In a majority of cases domestic violence is between a man and a woman either married or unmarried - the woman is most often the victim.

Charges of Domestic Violence

When police are called to check out a domestic violence dispute, a criminal complaint can be filed against the offender by the City Attorney's office. Reasons for this are varied but could result from one of the factors below:

• If the law enforcement officers who responded to the call have reason to believe that a crime had been committed.
• If those responding officers had reason to believe that a battery had occurred they are obligated by law to create a police report of the incident and arrest the offending person within a twenty four hour period if at all possible.
• Appropriate paperwork must be submitted the Las Vegas Police Department Domestic Violence Unit if the officers were not able to make an arrest and the paperwork will be reviewed by detectives. If enough evidence is found, they may submit the evidence and the accused can be prosecuted.
• Any other relevant police reports involving harassment, stalking, violation of restraining orders, destruction of property and so forth can also be submitted to police detectives for review and potential prosecution of the offender may come about.

Getting Legal Help

Domestic violence can have harsh penalties and the results can affect a person for the rest of his life. Depending on the specific circumstances, it can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony. If convicted, you could face time in jail or prison, be subjected to monetary fines, community service, counseling and other penalties. You could lose custody or visitation rights to your children as well.

For these reasons you should contact a Las Vegas criminal attorney if you have been charged with domestic violence. At the De Castroverde Law Group, we have the experience and resources necessary to help you build a strong defense. We have been practicing law in the state of Nevada for over 20 years and fight aggressively for our clients. We realize that sometimes domestic violence charges can be false allegations and we can help you sort out the facts.