A charge of domestic violence is serious, as a conviction can impact your life in many ways. Not only can it lead to time in prison, but it can also alter your personal and professional life.
Regardless of the details surrounding your domestic violence case, it’s imperative to understand the many types of defense strategies available to you. Choosing the right one can go a long way in helping you avoid a conviction.
Here are four strategies to consider:
- False allegation: It’s possible that a person could make a false allegation of domestic violence as a means of “getting back” at you. For example, an ex-spouse may do this if they don’t want you seeing your children any longer.
- Self-defense: You may feel that you had no choice but to fight back and protect yourself. It’s not always easy to prove self-defense, but if you’re able to do so, it’s one of the best domestic violence defense strategies.
- Wrong suspect: This is when you claim that someone else was responsible for the violence, not you. The ability to present evidence and/or an alibi is important if you’re going to use this defense strategy.
- Lack of proof: This comes down to showing that the accuser’s allegations of domestic violence are false. If the prosecutor is unable to meet the burden of proof, you’re in much better position to win your case.
It’s easy to believe that the legal system is designed to protect people who have been the victim of domestic violence. While this is true, you shouldn’t assume that the only thing you can do is sit back and hope for a lesser penalty. There are strategies you can use to prove that you were wrongly accused, as the legal system states that you’re innocent until proven guilty.
The most important thing to remember is that a domestic violence charge doesn’t always end with a conviction. You may be in a bad situation, but there are steps you can take to swing the scales of justice in your favor.
As you learn more about your legal rights and the many types of domestic violence defense strategies, you’ll soon realize that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
