What To Do If You Have Been Wrongfully Accused Of Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is a very serious thing and the accusations of it can be damaging if you are the accused and you are actually innocent. However, those who are victims of domestic violence need the help of the courts to protect them so prosecutors and judges do their best to make sure that the guilty pay for their crime. This is why it is so important for you to make use of the following tips if you have been wrongly accused of domestic violence, as you do not want to pay for a crime that you did not commit.
Hire An Attorney
You will need to immediately consult with a criminal defense attorney, especially one that has handled many domestic assault cases. Your attorney can make sure that you are being given a fair and speedy trial. Also, if there is possibly a motive for the plaintiff to make false accusations, that information will need to be brought to light in court in the most appropriate way. For example, some accusations might be made in attempt to gain the upper hand in a child custody or divorce case. Of course, while those situations happen, judges cannot simply automatically believe that that is always the case, because true victims do need protection. Therefore, you will want an attorney that can present your defense in the best way possible.
Keep Your Story To Yourself Outside Of Court
While you may feel the urge to defend yourself to friends, family, and followers on social media accounts in order to clear your name, that is not something that you want to do right now. You could accidentally say something incriminating, even if you are completely innocent. You might also give away details about your defense that could get back to the plaintiff. He or she could then use that information in order to prepare their case in a way that defeats your planned defense. You will want to save your explanation for your attorney and for the court room. If you need to, you might want to shut down your social media accounts until the case is resolved in order to avoid temptation. This is especially important if your case has made the news or if there are a lot of people talking about you online, which easily happens in small towns or when you are well known within your community.
You will want to consult with your attorney about the other things you should be doing in order to prepare yourself for your court date and to protect your best interest in the meantime.