Have you recently been arrested or charged with domestic violence in Campbell County, KY? Just because you’re facing criminal charges doesn’t mean you’ll be convicted.
However, you’ll need to put up a fight to keep it that way. Contact the Campbell County domestic violence lawyers at Suhre & Associates, LLC for the assistance you need and deserve.
We offer a free consultation, so contact our Northern Kentucky criminal defense law firm to schedule yours today. We’ll listen to your side of the story, review the charges against you, and help you understand the very serious consequences on the horizon.
When you’re ready, we’ll get to work on a defense to limit the consequences of your domestic violence arrest.
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How Our Campbell County Criminal Defense Lawyers Can Help If You’ve Been Charged with Domestic Violence
Navigating the complex criminal court process can be terrifying, especially when the charge is as serious as domestic violence.
When you hire a Campbell County criminal defense attorney at Suhre & Associates, LLC, you’re not only hiring someone to fight for you, but you’re also hiring someone who can offer insight and guidance on a process that he has handled cases like yours hundreds of times before.
Founding partner, Joe Suhre, was previously a law enforcement officer. He brings to the table insight of how the prosecution operates, and will put that knowledge to work for you in crafting the most thorough defense.
Suhre & Associates offers a free consultation during which we will discuss your case and how our team specializing in domestic violence will work to defend you.
What Is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence is a common occurrence in Campbell County, Kentucky. 1 in 3 women, and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. Despite the frequent occurrence of domestic violence, criminal convictions for a domestic violence charge can lead to very serious consequences, including fines, incarceration, a criminal record, and potentially impact your ability to own a firearm, and see your children, and reside in your home.
Domestic violence under Kentucky Revised Statutes Sections 403.715 to 403.785 is defined as “physical injury, serious physical injury, sexual abuse, assault, or the infliction of fear of imminent physical injury, serious physical injury, sexual abuse, or assault between family members or members of an unmarried couple.” “Family member” means a spouse, including a former spouse, a grandparent, a grandchild, a parent, a child, a stepchild, or any other person living in the same household as a child if the child is the alleged victim.
Domestic violence includes a range of abuse including:
- Assault
- Battery
- Marital rape
- Physical injury
- Stalking
- Sexual abuse; or
- The infliction of fear of such occurring between family members or members of an unmarried couple or between persons who are or have been in a dating relationship.
If you or someone you love has been served with a restraining order due to domestic violence charges, you can learn more about restraining orders here and the steps you should take. You should never ignore it if you are served with a restraining order.
Assault
An assault occurs in Kentucky when a person physically injures (or, in some cases, simply attempts to injure) another person, without legal justification.
Battery
Battery is defined as intentional, non-consensual harmful or offensive contact with another
Marital Rape
A person is guilty of rape when he engages in sexual intercourse with another peron by forcible compulsiton or who is incapable of consent due to helplessness or age, and varies in severity depending on the age of the nonconsentual person. Marital rape occurs between married persons.
Physical Injury
The use of physical power which results in injury, disability, or death are forms of physical violence. Other forms of physical violence include coercion, administering drugs or alcohol without permission, and denying medical care.
Stalking
Stalking is defined as repetitive, undesired contact or attention by a person that causes fear or safety concerns. Stalking includes repetitive, undesired phone calls, email, text messages, or social media messages by the person accused of stalking; observing, following, approaching, or spying on the alleged victim by the accused; damaging the victim’s property or conspicuously leaving threatening items to be found by the victim; and the making threats.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual violence is using physical coercion to force participation in unwanted sex acts. Perpetrators often incapacitate victims with alcohol or drugs.
Mandatory Information & Referral
In lieu of mandatory reporting, Kentucky’s has a new information and referral provision law for victims of domestic violence. The law requires certain professionals to provide educational material to victims of domestic and dating violence with whom they have had a professional interaction instead of requiring that all known instances of domestic violence be reported to law enforcement when disclosed to any person.
This law also requires these same professionals to make a report to police if requested to by the victim and to report to police if they believe that the death of a victim may be related to domestic or dating violence; however, it is intended to encourage victims to disclose domestic or dating violence freely and to increase access to services.
What Are The Punishments For Domestic Violence Charges?
If you are convicted of domestic violence, you will face criminal penalties including jail time, probation, the issuance of a protective order, mandatory domestic violence counseling, and fines.
A victim of domestic violence can seek a protective order that prevents you from contacting the person, from seeing your children, from entering your home, or from traveling within a certain distance of the victim. Additionally, the accused may lose his or her right to own a firearm and be required to forfeit them. If there are children involved, there may be restrictions placed on visitations.
Additionally, the impacts of a domestic violence conviction can have ramifications in addition to criminal punishment, including a negative impact on social relationships, family relationships, and the availability of future employment. The law will increase penalties for certain repeat domestic violence offenders, and impose criminal penalties for violations of domestic violence protective orders.
If convicted of three or more assault charges within a five-year period, a person may be charged with a Class D felony if the victim in each case was a family member or member of an unmarried couple. The punishment for a Class D felony is up to five years in prison.
An experienced domestic violence defense lawyer will help you navigate the often overwhelming arrest and court process that follows a domestic violence charge. Your attorney will fight to have your bond reduced, charges dismissed or reduced, or facilitate the negotiation of a plea bargain. The skilled Campbell County criminal defense domestic violence lawyers at Suhre & Associates can help.
How Can I Defend Myself If I’m Facing A Domestic Violence Charge In Campbell County, Kentucky?
Depending on the facts surrounding your arrest, there are a plethora of defenses that may be available to you. Our experienced lawyers will analyze the facts and evidence particular to your case to identify which defenses are likely to be the most successful. Our team will gather evidence, utilize experts, speak to witnesses, and more to build the strongest defense for you. Common examples of defenses to a domestic violence charge are:
- Consent
- Self defense
- False allegations
- Lack of evidence.
Additionally, while domestic violence laws are important and not to be undermined, there are many reasons why the alleged victim may make false claims of domestic violence, including:
- The desire to terminate the relationship or marriage
- Have the upper hand in a divorce settlement
- Gain custody of children
- Gain sole possession of the shared home
- To punish the accused for other behavior.
If you have been wrongfully accused of domestic violence, you need to seek legal counsel as soon as possible. There are steps you can take to improve your chances of having the charges dismissed, including avoiding argumentative behavior that could be used against you. You should not speak to police without legal counsel, and you should gather evidence and witnesses who will testify to the falseness of the accusation and/or favorable comments about your character.
By utilizing the skills gained over the course of many, many years’ experience, your lawyer will examine the evidence against you to determine flaws in the prosecution’s case, and will work tirelessly to defend, dismiss, or reduce the charges against you. However, if a conviction is unavoidable, your domestic violence defense lawyer will negotiate the best possible deal for you, and provide you with strong representation and guidance throughout the process.
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation With Our Campbell County Domestic Violence Lawyers Today
When facing a domestic violence charge, the sooner you contact an experienced domestic violence criminal defense lawyer, the sooner we can begin working to build the best possible defense for you. At Suhre & Associates, we approach each case with vigor and dedication.
While each case is different, there is one thing that remains constant and that is the need for an experienced defense attorney on your side who understands what Kentucky’s domestic violence laws require for a conviction. Being arrested for domestic violence in Campbell County, Kentucky is only the start of a lengthy and complex criminal process. Let the lawyers at Suhre & Associates simplify the process for you.
When you hire Suhre & Associates for legal assistance, here’s what you’ll get:
- A team of lawyers whose practices are dedicated exclusively to criminal defense;
- Years of combined experience defending domestic violence and other theft crimes in Campbell County;
- Former law enforcement on your team, who understand the complexities of domestic violence charges;
- Hundreds of jury trials successfully completed; and
- A “10 out of 10” rating on Avvo (attorney Joe Suhre).
If you are ready to learn more about how we can help defend you against an accusation of domestic violence crimes, call our law office now at (513) 613-2647. We welcome the opportunity to assist you during this challenging time.
