Domestic Violence California

If you feel you have been wrongfully accused of domestic violence in California there is help for you. Since the charges of domestic violence are so severe, it is likely that you will loose your home and family rather quickly. For most charges you are innocent until proven guilty however, with domestic violence charges you are guilty until proven innocent. If you have been accused of domestic violence in California there are steps that you can take to help yourself. The first step is to make sure you attend your arraignment. This court date is set so that you can have your charges clearly explained to you. At this time the judge will also ask you to plead guilty or not guilty. If you feel you have been wrongfully accused you need to plead not guilty. If you enter a plea of guilty you have waived your right to a trial and this will not help you. Many people accused of domestic violence in California think that if they enter a plea of guilty that they will get a lighter sentence than if they enter a plea of not guilty.

This is not true. In all likeliness you may get sentenced harder if you enter a plea of guilty up front. By entering this plea of guilty up front you are stating that you are admitting to committing this crime. If you truly believe that you are innocent you need to enter a plea of not guilty. With most domestic violence in California a judge will order what is called a no contact order. This order means exactly as it sounds. You are no longer allowed to contact to accuser in any way. This could mean that you end up homeless and possibly jobless (if you work with your accuser) for the time being. These orders can be written to include the accuser's home, place of employment and any children that may have been involved. What ever you do, do not break this order. Breaking a no contact order is an independent crime and you will be charged separately for it.

If you enter a plea of not guilty of domestic violence in California, you will then either be offered a public defender or you will be appointed a public defender. If the court decides to appoint you a public defender, you will have no control over who the judge assigns to your case. You can also choose to go with a public defender, if this is the option you wish to take you can later change you mind and hire a private attorney. The private attorney will then substitute in for the public defender. There is no penalty for trying to get the best representation for yourself. If you have made the decision to go with a public defender and are now regretting that decision you should contact the attorneys at OC Criminal Defense Lawyer. The attorneys at this office do not have large case loads and will have the appropriate time needed to help you prove your innocence. Remember that just because you have been accused of domestic violence in California does not mean that you are actually guilty. The lawyers at this firm understand that and will do what ever they can to help you prove your innocence so you can get back to your life.