Getting accused of domestic violence or assault is a very serious situation to be in. When you are accused of this, it means that there is reason to believe that you caused harm to another with whom you share a home, or to someone with whom you have a close relationship. This harm could have been caused intentionally, or it could have been accidental, through reckless behavior and disregard for the safety of others.
The penalties in Tennessee mean that if you are found guilty, you could face a maximum of 11 months and 29 days in jail. In addition to this, you may face a maximum $2,500 fine.
What relationship do I need to have with a person for it to be classed as domestic assault?
When many people think of domestic assault, they usually think of violence that occurs from one spouse, domestic partner or sexual partner in intimate relationships. While this is a very common form of domestic violence and assault, it is not limited to this.
An assault or act of violence is also considered domestic when it is committed against a former partner, someone living in the same house or apartment, relatives, children or step children.
What are the consequences of a domestic violence charge?
Being convicted is serious because it is considered a violent crime, and, therefore, you will lose your right to possess firearms. You will also have an order of protection against you, so that you will not be able to have contact with the person you were convicted of assaulting for a certain amount of time.
I am not guilty of the accusation. How can I get the case dismissed?
It is important that you collect as much evidence as possible so that you can form the defense. This can be crucial in the outcome of your case. You should save all text messages as evidence and ask to collect photographs of the accuser, so that you can prove that there was no bodily damage done.
There are other forms of defense that you can use, including showing that the accuser’s information is not reliable. Perhaps they were drunk at the time, and you have evidence of the way that they were behaving.
If there were any witnesses at the scene, these people could be crucial to help give weight to your side of the story.
As a defendant in a domestic violence case, it is important that you take action immediately if you want to get the case dismissed. Building up a defense is best done immediately after the alleged incident took place.
