Lake Forest Domestic Violence Attorney
With over 100 years of combined legal experience, our team is highly qualified to provide legal services for your most difficult family circumstances.
Lake Forest Domestic Violence Lawyer
Acts of domestic violence can ruin the lives of individuals, families, and even communities. Anyone who is immersed in a situation in which domestic violence is a part of their lives should seek the help and resources available to them to find safety for themselves and other members of their family who are impacted by the destructive decisions of others around them. Unfortunately, domestic violence is far too common and difficult to stop once it begins. For children, exposure to it or experiencing it at a young age can set the foundations of a dangerous and harmful cycle that can follow them into adulthood.
Finding a way to break these cycles as both a perpetrator and a victim is to seek help. One form of help is to utilize the services of a family law attorney who can assist with finding legal solutions as well as resources that support the growth you need. At DeArmey Law, our family law team knows how delicate domestic violence cases can be, and we use our kindness, empathy, and experience to help. The emotional consequences of domestic violence in its many forms can be difficult to deal with, but we’re here to help victims in Lake Forest, CA.
Behaviors of Domestic Violence
Domestic violence comes in many different forms and isn’t always obvious. When most people think of domestic violence, they think of its portrayal in entertainment as violent physical attacks. The reality of domestic violence is that many cases are more subtle and could be experienced for years without suspicion. Many victims often don’t recognize what is occurring until they begin sharing their experiences, and someone brings the idea of domestic violence to their attention. Because of the many ways domestic violence can look, it is defined more by the behaviors associated with it. Some behaviors include:
- Acts of sexual assault
- Stalking a spouse, child, or other domestic partner
- Continuous harassment
- Physical threats or threats designed to instill fear
- Disturbing the peace of another
- Purposeful destruction of another person’s property
- Restricting another’s movements
- Physical abuse of a family member, domestic partner, or pets
These behaviors, and others, are detrimental to your emotional and physical safety, as well as that of your children or other family members in the home. If these behaviors are exhibited by someone living in the home, it is imperative to seek help and find safety.
Many victims of domestic violence do not realize the situation they are in because there is a rationale created in their heads through the coercion of the perpetrator that these actions are justified. No matter the circumstances, these behaviors are never ok and never justified. The most important time to seek help is when the behaviors start to exhibit themselves before they become worse or before the cycle of emotional and physical violence grows.
For those who experience these behaviors or witness them against children, particularly in their own homes, there is a duty to protect those children. Children can become victims of the perpetrator, or they could be used as a threat. Some perpetrators of domestic violence will threaten the removal of children from the victim if they leave or speak up. These behaviors are manipulative and only designed to further domestic violence.
Domestic Violence Criminal Charges and Protective Orders
For the abuser in a domestic violence relationship, they can face criminal charges which can result in a criminal record that will follow them. This will impact their ability to find housing, employment, or engage in other community activities. Criminal charges, however, are not the only consequences of domestic violence. In many cases, courts will issue protective orders, commonly referred to as a restraining order, between the accused and the victim to protect against further acts or threats of violence.
There are three different forms of protective orders:
- Emergency protective orders. These are often obtained by law enforcement on behalf of the victims to help keep them safe until a more permanent solution is reached. Emergency orders generally last seven days.
- Temporary protective orders. These are issued by the court and require detailed paperwork describing the situation and the reasoning the protective order is needed. Temporary protective orders are issued when a judge agrees that protection is necessary but in the short term. These orders generally last only about a month, or until a hearing occurs and something more permanent is arranged.
- Permanent protective orders. Despite the name, these orders only last about five years, but they provide long-term protection for those in the most severe circumstances. These orders, however, are renewable at the end of the five years.
Protective orders are designed to protect victims of domestic violence. These orders will not only define the parameters of the interactions between the victim and the accuser but also to whom the protection order applies, including any children of the victim or associates of the accused.
Lake Forest Domestic Violence Lawyer
Domestic violence is a crime that can be hidden until someone becomes aware of the problem. The first and most important action you should take if you are a victim of domestic violence is to seek the safety and help you need for yourself, any children, or other family members involved. Once you are safe, you can tackle the legal matters that will help keep you that way. Leaving the situation can feel more frightening than staying, but staying could create a worse situation or perpetuate an oppressive idea put upon you.
If you are accused of domestic violence, it is also important to remember that you are entitled to the same rights as anyone else, including the right to defend yourself. Every accusation does not mean guilt.
Whether you are the accused or the victim, you deserve representation that will protect your rights and provide the legal counsel you need to confront the situation. Our experienced domestic violence attorneys at DeArmey Law can help you with any domestic violence situation you may be facing. Our team uses kindness, empathy, and an aggressive style to fight for you to get you the protection you require as well as the safety you deserve. Contact us today.
