Defenses to Violating a Protective Order

There are many effective defense strategies available to fight California domestic violence charges such as violation of a protective order. Protective orders are issued by courts in domestic abuse cases to bar offenders from engaging in specific acts of abuse, re-entering their own homes, or behaving in certain ways.

Any intimate partner can be charged with a California domestic abuse offense, including straight or gay individuals who are married, divorced, living together, have children together, or who are dating or were formerly dating.

Any intentional and knowing violation of a protective order by an individual against his or her intimate partner is a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. If the violation results in physical injury to the alleged victim, the offender will serve mandatory jail time of at least 30 days, possibly up to one year, and the fine may rise to $2,000. California courts may even punish an offender for violating an order in California that was issued in another state.

The good news is that there are many effective defenses in domestic abuse cases. In an effort to acquit the accused, a good defense attorney will employ as many defenses as he or she can, which all include a thorough review of the facts, witness preparation and effective cross-examination. Altercations between intimate partners are emotional, highly charged incidents that can be interpreted in more than one way. A skilled criminal defense lawyer will ensure that the defendant's version of events is not only heard by the jury, but believed as well.

Because injury is not a requirement when charging an individual with violating a protective order, any physical evidence and/or eyewitness testimony that supports or negates the charge can be critical to either party. Depending on the circumstances, a good defense lawyer will attempt to either discredit both or alternatively make them favorable to the defense. Similarly, if the protected party sustains no injury and there is no documented proof of the violation or any credible eyewitnesses to the violation, the defense attorney may argue that there is insufficient evidence to prosecute the defendant. A skilled attorney will also know how to address mitigating circumstances that may either reduce or negate the charge. These are just some of the reasons why it is so important to have professional legal representation experienced in this area of the law.

Some other defenses to this crime include legality (was the protective order issued for a lawful purpose?) and knowledge (did the defendant actually know the order existed and have the opportunity to read and/or understand its contents?). Self-defense or the defense of others could be a possible defense, depending on the circumstances surrounding the alleged violation. When an experienced domestic violence attorney reviews the facts of the case, he or she knows how to spot the issues that could ultimately defend his or her client and how to most effectively present them to the court.

Domestic violence statistics reveal that many couples who are involved in an abusive relationship are both victims and both abusers. This means that an accused may also be the victim of his or her intimate partner's abuse and should not legally bear sole responsibility for the alleged incident. Another example of this power struggle (which is also another common defense) is when the protected party (or so-called "victim") makes false allegations. A skilled defense attorney knows how to effectively cross-examine a "victim" to prove that the allegations were indeed false and initiated out of anger, jealousy or revenge.

An intimate partner abuse charge such as violating a protective order jeopardizes the defendant's reputation, livelihood and freedom. In an aggressive effort to acquit their clients, the knowledgeable defense attorneys at The Kavinoky Law Firm will effectively communicate these defenses to the judge and jury. An experienced defense lawyer can outline an aggressive strategy to defend California domestic violence charges during a free consultation.