Relationships can be difficult and emotionally charged. People who are engaged in a romantic relationship, dating, married, co-parenting, or who are members of the same household typically have their differences, and when these get out of control, violence may flare and in the event of an arrest, it’s imperative to contact a Puyallup domestic violence attorney ASAP. Domestic violence does not refer to a particular crime in Puyallup and across Washington; it refers to the context within which a crime is committed and enhances the severity of the charges and the potential penalties. It can encompass a variety of crimes committed within the context of a domestic relationship and can also include an act or threat used to intimidate, coerce, control, punish, or get revenge against a domestic partner. These are just a few of the many charges that can be labeled as domestic violence in Puyallup, Washington:
Not only are potential penalties more severe when a crime is labeled as domestic violence, but there are also differences in the way these cases are handled in Washington’s criminal justice system. If police receive a call and there is the remotest chance that any kind of unwanted contact occurred between current or former domestic partners, they are compelled to make an arrest. That is true even if the caller had second thoughts and terminated a 911 call by hanging up. Police officers are not allowed to exercise any discretion on the matter which is why it’s so important to get an experienced Puyallup domestic violence lawyer in your corner.
Not only that, restrictions may immediately be imposed on the person being accused. In Puyallup domestic violence cases, the doctrine of innocent until proven guilty goes out the window and the accused faces immediate penalties, before being convicted of anything. The immediate consequences of being accused of domestic violence may include your being thrown out of your home; being denied the right to speak to the alleged victim, even if that person wants to have contact with you; loss of the custody of your children and denial of visitation rights; and loss of the right to own a weapon or drink alcohol. All without your having been convicted of anything and even if the alleged victim recants and refuses to file charges or cooperate with the prosecution. The State can proceed without the alleged victim’s cooperation.
Domestic violence is a highly politicized issue, and it is also one with a high potential for false accusations. If you’ve been accused of a crime and the charges are being filed as “domestic violence,” it is imperative that you hire a good criminal defense attorney in Tacoma immediately—one with extensive experience in protecting clients from the terrible negative consequences of these charges.
You should meticulously heed the advice of your experienced Puyallup domestic violence lawyer who will explain to you what you must do to avoid additional charges and how you can best help participate in your own defense.
Mark Treyz is a defense attorney with nearly three decades of experience defending the accused against domestic violence and other criminal charges. He is a former prosecutor and pro tem judge who understands as an insider the way the criminal justice system works, and he puts that knowledge and experience to work for each of his clients. He is alert to the potential for false accusations and uses his investigatory skills to discover any evidence that could cast a doubt on the truth of the allegations against you.
Mark takes the constitutional rights of the accused very seriously, and he firmly believes that every defendant is entitled to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. Mark is aggressive in his dense of everyone he represents and uses every legal means to obtain the outcome that best serves the interests of his clients.
If you’ve been accused of domestic violence, it may seem that the odds are stacked against you, but with Mark Treyz on your side, this doesn’t have to be the case. The sooner you bring Mark on board, the more likely he’ll be able to prevent pre-conviction restrictions and the better opportunity he’ll have to perform an investigation of the circumstances that led to your being accused, the arrest procedure, and other factors that he can use in your defense. Call today to meet Mark without any charge for the first consultation.
Were you accused of domestic violence in Tacoma? Our experienced Tacoma domestic abuse attorneys can help.