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Penalties of DC Roommate Violence

A person facing allegations of violence against a roommate could be charged with any number of criminal offenses. The person can be charged with a misdemeanor offense of assault, threats, or destruction of property, depending on the specific facts of the case.

To best defend against such penalties, an individual should not hesitate before contacting a DC roommate violence lawyer. An experienced attorney can build a case to help minimize any potential consequences an individual may be facing.

Severity of the Charge

If a criminal offense being charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office is not prosecuted in the domestic violence court, it will be prosecuted by the normal misdemeanor courts. It is important to remember that domestic violence is not a characterization of a specific offense; a person cannot be charged with domestic violence because it is not its own crime.

Domestic violence is a specialized court that only deals with domestic violence offenses, but the charges are exactly the same whether they are charged in the domestic violence court, the normal misdemeanor court, or the felony court. The domestic violence court only handles misdemeanor offenses, so a domestic violence offense prosecuted in the domestic violence court would inherently be a misdemeanor.

If an allegation involving violence and a firearm is between two people who share an intra-family relationship, such as roommates, it is too serious to be considered a misdemeanor. Rather than charging that offense in the misdemeanor domestic violence section, the offense could potentially be charged as a felony, in which case it would be heard in the same courthouse and courtroom that any other felony offense may be heard. The circumstances of the charge solidify the seriousness of the penalties associated with DC roommate violence.

Criminal Penalties

The person could be charged with felony offenses depending on how serious the offense is. If there is an allegation of an assault that resulted in significant bodily injury, such as broken bones or significant bleeding, those charges could be prosecuted as felony offenses that can carry much more serious prison time.

Depending on what type of charge a person has, the result could range from misdemeanor offenses that carry a maximum of 180 days in jail to felony offenses that could carry more than a year of prison time, sometimes three, five, or even a higher level of prison time.

The combination of immediate consequence of possible jail time is a serious consideration and a person should keep that in mind when deciding how to elect to move forward in their case. Such penalties associated with roommate violence in DC should not be combatted without the use of an experienced lawyer.

Long-Term Consequences

Any criminal convictions can have the possibility of affecting a person’s job, living situation, and ability to continue living in a certain apartment building as well as be a permanent stain on a person’s criminal record. Even after a criminal case is done, the effects of that case can be felt for years.

If a roommate has accused another roommate of committing assault against them and is convicted of that offense, it could mean that a person may not be allowed to live in that same building or live in that same apartment anymore. A criminal conviction for even a misdemeanor offense could, in some situations, have an impact on a person’s livelihood, especially if it depends on maintaining a clean criminal history. A criminal conviction carries severe penalties when dealing with DC roommate violence, which should not be defended without a lawyer.