Boone County Domestic Violence Lawyer

Did you recently get arrested on suspicion of hitting your spouse in Boone County, Kentucky?

If so, it is in your best interest to fight back against the state’s allegations as quickly and vigorously as possible.

Contact a skilled Boone County domestic violence lawyer from Suhre & Associates, LLC, as soon as possible to get started. Your initial case evaluation is 100 percent free.

How Suhre & Associates, LLC Can Help When You’re Facing Domestic Violence Charges in Boone County

Domestic violence is a serious offense. It doesn’t matter whether the allegations are false, exaggerated, or true – you need to defend yourself aggressively if you want to protect your future. Make the experienced Boone County criminal defense lawyers at Suhre & Associates, LLC your first call after an arrest. We’ve been handling domestic violence matters in Northern Kentucky for years, achieving many favorable results for our clients along the way.

Should you hire our law firm to help you fight back against your domestic violence allegation, we will:

  • Work to secure a reasonable bond on your behalf
  • Stand up for your rights as a resident or citizen of the United States
  • Answer any questions you should have about the judicial process
  • Conduct an independent investigation into your arrest
  • Offer you sound legal advice throughout your legal battle
  • Look for evidence that might persuade a jury to acquit you
  • Help you understand your possible legal options
  • Devise a defense strategy for your domestic violence case
  • Negotiate a plea bargain deal with the state prosecutor
  • Argue on your behalf in criminal court, if necessary

Would you like to have a skilled domestic violence attorney from Suhre & Associates, LLC, defend you against the allegations of the state? If so, all you need to do is give us a call and arrange a free consultation at our law office in Cincinnati. We know what it takes to win cases like yours, and we are more than ready to go to battle on your behalf.

Understanding Kentucky’s Domestic Violence Laws

Section 403.720 of the Kentucky Revised Statutes explains that domestic occurs when an individual carries out one of the following acts on a family member or their unmarried partner:

Kentucky prosecutors may also arrest an individual for domestic violence if they should cause their family member or unmarried partner to fear that they will carry out one of these acts.

For the purpose of this crime, the state of Kentucky defines an individual’s “family members” as their:

  • Spouse
  • Former spouse
  • Parents
  • Grandparents
  • Children
  • Step-children, and
  • Grandchildren

Under Kentucky law, acts of domestic violence can aggravate crimes such as:

Were you arrested and charged with a domestic violence crime in Boone County, Kentucky? Then please do not hesitate to reach out to the team of knowledgeable attorneys at Suhre & Associates, LLC. We’re ready and willing to help you fight the charges.

Consequences of Domestic Violence Convictions in Kentucky

People who commit domestic violence offenses in Boone County tend to face three distinct types of negative consequences. They are:

Each of these groups of consequences has the potential to wreak havoc on the convict’s life and prospects for the future:

Criminal Punishments

When courts in the state of Kentucky find Boone County residents guilty of domestic violence offenses, they typically dole out criminal penalties such as:

  • Fines
  • Jail or prison time
  • House arrest
  • Probation
  • Mandatory counseling

The specific nature of an offender’s criminal penalties depends on a wide variety of factors, including the seriousness of their underlying crime and whether or not they have any prior convictions.

Generally speaking, first-time offenders receive much more lenient terms of imprisonment than those with lengthy criminal records.

Collateral Consequences

When Boone County residents commit domestic violence offenses, they don’t just receive a jail sentence and a fine. They also leave court with a permanent criminal record.

This criminal record isn’t just a black mark hanging over their good name. It can also cause them to experience a range of collateral consequences, such as:

  • Difficulty Finding Housing: Most of the apartment communities in Boone County have strict policies against renting to criminals.
  • Loss of Privacy: Convicted criminals in the state of Kentucky do not have a lot of privacy. Their friends and family can easily look up the details of their offense online.
  • Trouble Landing a Job: It is not uncommon for businesses in Boone County to have policies against hiring people with criminal records.
  • Loss of Gun Ownership Rights: State and federal law prohibit the buying, carrying, and using of firearms by convicted felons.
  • Immigration Challenges: The federal government regularly deports non-citizen felons as soon as they finish their prison sentences.
  • Harsher Future Penalties: Convicted criminals in Kentucky typically receive much more severe sentences if they get into trouble with the law again in the future.
  • Professional Licensing Issues: People with criminal records often have challenges getting their professional licenses approved and renewed.
  • Challenges Getting Student Loans: Convicted felons typically find it quite tricky to get student loans from the federal government.

In most instances, convicts must live with the collateral consequences of their actions for the rest of their lives – unless they can persuade a judge to expunge their criminal record.

Restraining Orders

In addition to the criminal penalties and collateral consequences, people who commit domestic violence crimes may also become the subject of a restraining order.

The state of Kentucky offers two different types of restraining orders to people who suffer violence, abuse, and neglect at the hands of a family member. They are:

Emergency Protective Orders (EPOs)

When a person alleges that they are the victim of domestic violence, they may petition a court to issue an emergency protective order against their abuser. Judges have the power to approve these requests without seeing any evidence of violence. The allegation itself is often enough to convince them to issue the injunction.

When courts issue emergency protective orders in a person’s name, they frequently prohibit them from:

  • Calling, texting, or otherwise contacting their alleged victim
  • Visiting their alleged victim’s home or place of employment
  • Visiting their alleged victim’s family members
  • Causing damage to their alleged victim’s personal property
  • Seeing or communicating with their own children
  • Sleeping in their own home

The alleged abuser must continue to adhere to these restrictions for as long as the protective order remains in place. In Kentucky, EPOs have a maximum term of 14 days – though a judge can extend them if needed.

Permanent Protective Orders (PPOs)

Once a court convicts the EPO subject of domestic violence or the victim presents evidence of violence, the judge can move to make the injunction permanent.

The terms of the permanent protective order are likely to remain the same as those in the emergency injunction. However, instead of lasting for up to 14 days, they may now continue for as long as three years.

Do you need an experienced criminal defense attorney to help you fight to avoid the negative consequences of a domestic violence conviction in the state of Kentucky? If so, please pick up the phone and reach out to Suhre & Associates, LLC, today. Our firm represents clients from every corner of Boone County and is ready to go to battle for you.

Defenses Against Kentucky Domestic Violence Charges

It is not at all uncommon for Boone County residents who face charges of domestic violence to think that it is just a matter of time before the state’s legal team convicts them and sends them to prison. In reality, however, a defendant’s prospects for the future are rarely quite so bleak.

Indeed, it is often possible for alleged domestic abusers to get their case dismissed or persuade a jury to acquit them by

  • Proving that the alleged victim was lying when they accused them of domestic violence
  • Arguing that the prosecuting attorney does not have enough evidence to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt
  • Claiming that they struck the alleged victim as an act of self-defense
  • Proving that they were elsewhere at the time the alleged act of domestic violence occurred
  • Claiming that they accidentally made physical contact with the alleged victim – and that they did not intend to cause harm
  • Arguing that the police acted illegally or improperly during their investigation

Would you like to seek the advice of a knowledgeable lawyer on the best way to approach your Kentucky domestic violence case? Then please do not hesitate to get in touch with the team at Suhre & Associates, LLC, in our office location in Cincinnati. We have handled a plethora of cases like yours during our many years in the industry, and we would be more than happy to provide you with the information you require.

Your Trusted Boone County Domestic Violence Lawyer

When the people of Boone County need a lawyer to defend them against a domestic violence charge, they know they can always count on Suhre & Associates, LLC. Our Boone County domestic violence lawyers have the skills and experience required to handle even the most complex and intricate cases. To set up a meeting at our offices in Cincinnati, all you have to do is give us a quick call.