Los Angeles Domestic Violence Attorney

A domestic violence charge is extremely serious because it often leads to an arrest and oftentimes a conviction. It is understandable why it is such a serious charge since violence within the home is a concerning matter. However, just because the charge comes with severe penalties, does not mean that it’s correctly applied. Some domestic violence charges can be false and some of them can have extenuating circumstances, and in cases like those, the person accused of domestic violence will need an experienced attorney to defend them.

There could be complications caused by the charge that extend beyond the initial arrest. The alleged perpetrator could end up with a restraining order that restricts their movements, they could end up on the wrong side of a custody battle, and they could even be facing jail time. By enlisting the services of a domestic violence defense attorney, they stand a chance of fighting back against the charge and all the problems that come with it.

The Law Office of Edward J. Blum is a Los Angeles law firm that will come to the aid of anyone who has been accused of domestic violence. We will listen to your side of the story and thoroughly investigate the case so that we can fight back against the charges. Call us as soon as you have been charged with domestic violence. We will use our decades of knowledge and experience to come to your defense and do our best to help you avoid the worst consequences of a domestic violence charge.

What Qualifies as Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence is described as a pattern of abusive behavior in a relationship that is used by one partner to maintain control over the other. The following are the different types of abusive behavior present in domestic violence cases:

Physical Abuse – As the name suggests, this includes any kind of physical attack such as hitting, biting, shoving, burning, and so on. The denial of medical treatment or the forced administration of drugs or alcohol on someone also qualifies as physical abuse.

Sexual Abuse – This is when a person forces, or attempts to force sexual conduct without the other person’s consent. Examples of sexual abuse include rape or attempted rape, fondling the victim against their will, or making sexually demeaning comments towards the victim.

Emotional Abuse – This type of abuse is about attacking or demeaning the victim’s self-esteem. Doing so makes it less likely that the victim will try to leave or fight back against their abuser. Emotional abuse involves behavior, like name-calling, criticism, constant berating, questioning the victim’s judgment, and more.

Psychological Abuse – This is somewhat similar to emotional abuse, but it is more calculated. Psychological abuse involves behavior like gaslighting, threats of violence to the victim or their loved ones, threats of suicide or self-harm, restricting the movement of the victim, intimidation, and so on.

Economic Abuse – This type of abuse keeps the victim financially dependent on their abuser. It can involve withholding access to bank accounts or credit cards and preventing the victim from earning money.

Stalking – This involves following the victim relentlessly, sudden, uninvited, or unannounced appearances; spying on the victim; constantly leaving phone calls and messages; and similar obsessive behavior. Some of these types of behaviors may be legal, but repeated instances of them can be considered stalking.

Cyberstalking – This can include sending the victim constant text messages or emails that are of a threatening or intimidating nature. 

The Victims of Domestic Violence

People tend to think of domestic violence victims as women but anyone can be a victim, or a perpetrator, of domestic violence. The victim of domestic violence is usually the spouse or intimate partner of the perpetrator. However, other family members, as well as children, can also be victims of domestic abuse.

Why You Need a Domestic Violence Attorney

If you have been accused of domestic violence, then you need an attorney because the accusation could lead to other serious charges. Those charges could include restraining orders, jail or prison time, heavy fines, child custody restrictions, or probation. It gets worse. Once the domestic violence charge is made, it can be difficult to drop. Even if the person who made the accusation recants and decides to drop the charges, it is out of their hands. Once you have been charged with domestic violence, the power now lies with the police and the prosecutors; it is they who will decide your fate.

Or at least they will if you do not have a domestic assault lawyer to represent you. An attorney will listen to your side of the story and will fight for your rights. The domestic violence attorneys of the Edward J. Blum Law Office know that some cases of domestic violence are trumped up or are a result of a misunderstanding, which is why we are always willing to help those who have been charged with that crime. 

If you have been charged with domestic violence, then you could face restrictions preventing you from returning to your home or seeing your children. A domestic violence defense lawyer can help to lift those restrictions and can help to put together a defense that could overturn or reduce the charges you face. They can gather evidence to help your case, and help to find witnesses who will testify on your behalf. An attorney is also capable of finding inconsistencies in the testimony of your accuser, which can cast doubt on their version of the facts. And most importantly, your domestic violence defense attorney can develop a sound legal strategy and negotiate a reasonable plea deal for you. 

Contact Us If You Have Been Charged With Domestic Violence

If you have been charged with domestic violence, then you should contact us at the Edward J. Blum Law Office as soon as possible because we can negotiate with the prosecutors to prevent those charges from being filed. And if you are charged, then we will represent you in court and fight to get the charges reduced or dropped. 

We know that there are two sides to every story and we will listen to yours to make sure that your rights are protected and that you are treated fairly. So contact the Edward J. Blum Law Office as soon as possible after you have been accused of domestic violence. We will fight for your rights and do everything we can to make sure that you avoid the repercussions that a domestic violence charge can bring.

Our Domestic Violence Cases

Every domestic violence case is different. Edward J. Blum has been successfully defending and developing strategies to successfully defend domestic violence cases for over 17 years. Edward J. Blum has worked with family law professionals to coordinate a defense strategy. He knows what’s at stake for you, and will use all his skills to make sure you beat the domestic violence charges.

CASE STUDY ONE

Sam M. was married just less than ten years.  The wife owned a thriving business and as the marriage approached the ten-year support for a life milestone, the wife decided she wanted to end the marriage before she’d have to support Sam for the rest of his life.

One night Sam was brought home by co-workers drunk.  They left him in the car at the wife’s instruction and he slept out in the cold.  The next day he tried to get in the house, but the door was locked. He kicked the door and left some scuffs on the door.

The wife called the cops who responded and she told them a story that Sam had threatened to kill her if she didn’t let him in the house.  She said he was afraid for his life.  The police filed charges.  The charges included a restraining order and Sam was not allowed back in his house to get his belongings.

Months later, Sam’s case went to trial and he was victorious. If he had decided to just give in or not to fight the case, he would have been denied support (needless to say she didn’t let him run the business anymore), excluded from the residence and been behind the eight-ball with the divorce court.

CASE STUDY TWO

Terry J. and his girlfriend had a good relationship.  Like all couples, they argued.  One day, the argument reached a point where Terry said something that pissed his girlfriend off. She got angry, he left the house and she called the cops.  She said some terrible things about Terry to the cops who responded.  The police called him on the phone and asked him to come to the station.  He did so.  He was questioned about the event and answered the police’s questions.  The police arrested him.

Charges were filed. Terry was restrained from seeing his girlfriend by the court.  On her own, the girlfriend went to the DA and asked that the charges be dropped. The DA wouldn’t drop the charges. They continued to press the case, even without a cooperative witness.

At trial, they continued trying to bluff Terry so he would take a plea bargain for something he didn’t do.  Terry stood his ground and the case was dismissed mid-trial.

CASE STUDY THREE

Markus D. and his girlfriend had a fight. The girlfriend called the cops. The 911 call was recorded.  Markus was arrested and charged with domestic violence.  The girlfriend later refused to cooperate with the DA. The DA intended to use the 911 call as evidence in lieu of the girlfriend’s testimony.

Markus sought to exclude the 911 call.  The motion was argued and Markus won.

CASE STUDY FOUR

Peter R. and his wife had reached a point of no return. They filed for divorce.  One night while they were in a heated discussion, the wife told him he’d never see their kids again. She then took her nails and scratched each of her forearms.  She called the cops and pressed domestic violence charges.  Peter wanted to avoid confrontation and hoped that if he just gave in, she would see reason and be fair about visitation.

Thinking he was doing the right thing, he pleads guilty to domestic violence charges.  His wife got custody of the kids. He was given no visitation, then monitored visitation, then forced by the court to go through costly counseling. The divorce judge saw him as a batterer and his wife was awarded exorbitant child and spousal support.  He couldn’t pay the amount because the domestic violence charges had affected his employability.  He was found in contempt of court. This treatment went on for over five years.

If he had fought and won the criminal case, his wife wouldn’t have been able to deny him access to his kids.

Contact criminal defense attorney of The Law Office of Edward J. Blum today.