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DC Spousal Abuse Lawyer

Under D.C. criminal laws, there is no criminal offense for spousal abuse. A person can be charged with a criminal offense of assault, which could be the misdemeanor of simple assault, or various levels of felony assaults.

In some situations, if the defendant is accused of committing spousal abuse, then that person could be charged in the domestic violence branch of D.C. Superior Court and prosecuted by the domestic violence division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The domestic violence court in the D.C. Superior Court is a specialized division that handles only specific types of cases.

It’s important to have the assistance of an experienced domestic violence lawyer who has worked with domestic violence prosecutors, has experience in domestic violence courts, and understands the procedures involved in defending individuals against allegations of domestic violence and can help their client know what to expect. These cases be difficult for the people involved because they often involved people who know each other and may have known each other for years. As a result, it is imperative anyone accused seek the counsel of a DC spousal abuse lawyer.

DC Abuse Cases

The domestic violence court handles allegations such as assaults, stalking, threats, and certain other types of criminal offenses when committed allegedly between people who share an intra-family relationship. The domestic violence court only hears misdemeanor cases, so if someone is accused of a felony assault against a spouse or someone else who fits the definition of an intra-family relationship, then that case will likely not be heard in a domestic violence court; it will be heard by a felony judge at the D.C. Superior Court.

Intra-family relationships could include spouses, people legally married, or domestic partners. It could also include people who share a blood relationship or a domicile, such as roommates. A spousal relationship is one type of intra-family relationship. For example, if someone is accused of committing abuse towards their spouse, they could be charged with an assault in the domestic violence division or domestic violence court at DC Superior Court and prosecuted by the domestic violence division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Spousal Abuse vs. Domestic Violence

When someone has been accused of committing abuse or assault against a spouse or any other person they have an intra-family relationship with, then that person could be charged with an offense by the domestic violence division of the U.S. Attorneys’ Office and prosecuted before a judge within the domestic violence court at DC Superior Court. Domestic violence and spousal abuse are not separate offenses.

Domestic violence in DC is the type of court that would hear an allegation of spousal abuse. The domestic violence court could, however, also hear cases involving allegations of assault or certain other types of offenses, such as threats or stalking committed between people who have other types of intra-family relationships, such as a roommate relationship, a familial blood relationship, or a dating or sexual background.

Consulting With a Spousal Abuse Lawyer

When someone is facing an accusation of spousal abuse in D.C., an assault committed against the spouse, or any other kind of domestic offense committed against someone, they should recognize that these are serious criminal allegations. They are not matters that can be resolved between the accuser and the accused, which is why attorneys should get involved. The accuser may often not even have a say as to whether charges move forward.

In spousal abuse cases, there can be a lot emotions and a lot of difficulty in hearing allegations made by someone in these situations. Having a DC spousal abuse lawyer who will work with a person so that he or she can patch up the evidence, figure out what is admissible, figure out what is relevant, and determine what kind of investigation needs to be done to defend against these kinds of allegations is extremely important, even more so because of the difficulty in the emotions involved in these kinds of cases.