Jacksonville Domestic Battery Attorney
Have you been arrested for or accused of committing domestic battery in the Jacksonville area? If so, then contact us right away. We can help. People facing domestic battery charges or even just allegations can find their lives turned upside down in a matter of moments. All that it takes is for one person in a home to call the police, make an accusation of domestic violence, and then the other person may be removed from the residence or even arrested! Once arrested for domestic battery, the Judge will almost always enter a “no victim contact” order. This can prevent the accused from returning to their residence and cause many problems in a person’s home life. This is especially true where the parties involved have children together.
Many times, domestic battery charges stem from he said/she said situations with little to no physical evidence that a crime has been committed. The accusations themselves may even be completely false. In these situations it is necessary to have an attorney with the experience to stand up for you and support side of the story, while discrediting the accuser. We have the experience and knowledge to protect you and help restore your life. We have represented individuals in domestic violence situations in Duval, Clay, Nassau, St. Johns, Baker, and even other counties within the State of Florida.
Being Charged with Domestic Violence
Domestic Battery charges are unique from almost every other charge in Florida in that they can greatly impact your family life more than almost any other charge. In addition to the criminal charges one faces after an arrest, the accuser will often also file a civil lawsuit against the defendant called a “Petition for Injunction for Protection Against Domestic Violence.” This is commonly called an “Injunction” or a “Restraining Order.” Many attorneys who represent individuals on their criminal charges do not also represent their clients in the civil injunction case. We do. In fact, since the attorneys at Makofka and Makofka also practice in the area of Family Law, we have handled hundreds of civil injunction cases over the years and have represented both the Petitioner as well as the Respondent. This gives us a unique perspective not only on how to handle criminal cases and defend against false or trumped up accusations, but also on how to best protect your rights concerning your family.
If domestic battery charges have been filed against you, it is extremely important that you have knowledgeable representation right away. If the prosecution or judge offers to resolve your case without a conviction by “withholding adjudication” in exchange for a “no contest” plea, it may not be in your best interest to accept. Once a plea of anything other than not guilty is made regarding a charge of domestic battery, that case can never be sealed or expunged. That means the arrest could stay on your record forever. In order to have a domestic battery case sealed or expunged, the charge must be dropped, defeated at trial, or amended to a lesser included offense, such as fighting.