Domestic Violence Charges in Georgia

Have You Been Charged with Family Violence in Atlanta?

Domestic violence, otherwise known as family violence in Georgia courts, begins with the arrest of a person alleged to have committed some type of violent act against an intimate partner or family member in a domestic situation. Arrest policies by law enforcement may vary widely from state to state and even from one jurisdiction to another within that state. Until the past ten years, most states required law enforcement to witness the crime of an assault before an individual could be arrested. Today, however, you can be arrested for a domestic assault if a police officer suspects that you have committed this act without having seen it.

Under Georgia law, an arrest for domestic violence is at a police officer's discretion. If law enforcement is called to the scene of a domestic argument in which tempers and emotions are running high, one of the parties involved can be arrested based on the accusations of the other. The charges may be based on fabrication, exaggeration, a desire for revenge, control of a child in a custody battle, made out of jealousy, anger, or resentment. Domestic violence situations often erupt when couples break up, when one or the other sues for divorce or in a post-divorce situation where conflicts arise over child support, child custody, maintenance or other issues.

Protect Yourself in a Domestic Violence Arrest

If you have been accused of or charged with a domestic violence crime in the Atlanta area, it is vital that you seek professional legal help. You face serious criminal penalties as well as damage to your reputation which could compromise many personal, career, or even business relationships. Georgia domestic violence attorney Matthew T. McNallyhas helped many individuals caught up in a family violence accusation with immediate and long-range comprehensive criminal defense representation. Her Atlanta criminal defense firm is well-versed in how to go about challenging such charges and protecting your rights.

Included in domestic violence charges are any kind of assault. By definition, assault may be considered the threat of bodily harm where no physical contact ever occurred. Family violence charges can also include stalking, property damage, unlawful restraint, or criminal trespass. In cases where you are convicted of assault to a family member, the penalties you face will be much harsher than normal. That is why having an Atlanta criminal defense lawyer in your corner as soon as possible is your best line of defense.

Contact Atlanta criminal defense attorney Matthew T. McNally at his firm if you have been accused of family violence in the greater Atlanta area today.