By: Larry Kohn, a Domestic Violence Attorney near me in Metro Atlanta, defending clients charged with violent crimes for over 20 Years.
Violent crimes in the state of Georgia are taken very seriously and can result in long-lasting consequences if you are convicted. Jail time for domestic violence in Georgia is not uncommon, when facts are egregious, such as serious personal injury or disfigurement. GA domestic violence laws have been drastically changed in the past three decades.
The same rule applies to most of the United States, due to a national rollout of reforms suggested by the Department of Justice in recent years. Since 2015, updated laws under OCGA 19-13-52 have created a centralized state and national database of domestic violence orders that the GCIC and NCIC keep for future reference purposes.
Physical altercations sometimes occur over issues relating to infidelity, child custody and visitation, or other family law litigation battles, that lead to restraining orders or arrest warrants being issued by a judge. If you are the target of a serious legal matter like a domestic violence law offense, you need to be represented by an experienced domestic violence defense lawyer near me.
Some of our toughest cases have involved abusive behavior in front of children. Similarly, cases involving sexual violence, psychological abuse, emotional abuse, bodily injury in assault cases, or attacks on teens for revealing sexual orientation to a parent who then physically abuses the child are also challenging to defend.
This dynamic may be greatly affected by whether our legal team can limit the criminal charges to simple assault vs domestic violence (DV). Without question, your goal is to hire the best domestic violence attorney near me for your representation. This page introduces you to our top-rated lawyers near me who handle GA domestic violence law cases.
The role of a domestic violence lawyer Atlanta is to strenuously defend his or her client in the face of what can seem like a mountain of police evidence. Damaging testimony from a family member about issues such as abusive partners, a person’s “controlling behaviors,” domestic violence and assault, or an abusive relationship can lead to a temporary protective order in some cases.
If you are facing domestic violence charges in GA, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney to fight on your behalf. Since the COVID-19 lockdown after the 2020 Pandemic started, these DV cases have increased in number across metro Atlanta. Our affordable domestic violence lawyers near me (in metropolitan Atlanta counties) deal with domestic battery or domestic abuse cases involving verbal abuse and physical touching.
What is Domestic Violence and How Does GA Law Define “Family Members?”
Domestic Violence Definition. Domestic violence law, found in O.C.G.A. 19-13-1, also known as family violence law in Georgia, covers charges involving abuse within a household or family. To define violence (in this context) the Georgia Code covers the following charges in its domestic abuse definition:
“Committing any felony, battery, simple battery, simple assault, assault, stalking, criminal damage to property, unlawful restraint, and criminal trespass.”
“Domestic” definition. Plus, in DV cases, abuse can be emotional or physical, and does not only relate to current spouses or children, or to a current intimate relationship. According to GA domestic violence law, even intimate partners are defined as “family members.”
The Georgia Domestic Relations code defines family members as:
- Parents of the same child or children;
- Current spouses (husband, wife) or former spouses;
- Children and parents;
- Foster children and foster parents;
- Stepchildren and stepparents;
- Other persons currently living or previously living in the same residence.
Penalties for family violence crimes are more severe and enduring than people realize. If the parties involved are in a domestic relationship, first-time convictions are misdemeanors and can result in the offender serving up to 12 months in jail and paying a fine of $5,000.00. This information puts an exclamation point on why you need a highly rated domestic violence defense attorney near me sooner, rather than later.
Is domestic violence a felony in Georgia? Any following convictions will be felonies, which are punishable by jail time for up to five years. A conviction for DV can substantially impact your future as well, for example, federal law prohibits anyone with a domestic violence conviction to possess a firearm.
Get Immediate Help with Your Georgia Domestic Violence Case
Atlanta domestic violence defense attorney Larry Kohn and ex-cop Cory Yager want to hear your side of the story, and gather all the facts to see if all legal guidelines were followed. Being charged with abuse by your spouse can be heartbreaking and terrifying, but an arrest is not a conviction.
Both Mr. Yager and Mr. Kohn began their legal careers after law school with legendary Atlanta Georgia domestic violence lawyer, William Head. The 45-year veteran criminal defense attorney began his law practice in 1976.
Give yourself the edge in court, by retaining the best lawyer for domestic violence. Creative solutions and asserting the defense issues needed to minimize the harm of these criminal charges is usually the best solution. Call today to speak to a partner at our Georgia law firm to speak with one of our criminal defense lawyers regarding your case. In the 19-county metro area, a domestic violence Atlanta GA criminal law attorney near me is what you need.
Our law partners provide a domestic abuse lawyer near me who is available twenty-four hours a day, (404) 567-5515. In many situations, our lawyers have come straight from our homes to a county jail to assist our client with having a bond set, for his or her release.
Other related information and links, to answer additional questions:
Statute of Limitations, Georgia Domestic Violence is 4 years.
Read the Domestic Violence GA law under O.C.G.A. 19-13-1
Learn more about the Georgia Domestic Violence Laws under O.C.G.A. 19-13-2 and O.C.G.A. 16-5-90
National domestic violence hotline number: 1-800-799-7233.
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The information you obtain at this web site, related videos, image resources, Facebook, Twitter or other social media content, or blog postings is not, nor is it intended to be or provide, legal advice from a Georgia lawyer. This page is designed to help you find legal information, learn the basics about any criminal offense or court case in the state of Georgia, and then search for attorneys near me for your representation in GA.
You are well advised to consult an attorney for legal advice regarding your individual situation, and to obtain targeting help from an experienced lawyer in the community. Our Georgia lawyers invite you to peruse our site for answers to FAQs, charts, graphics and explanation of legal terms about Georgia laws. Then, call today about our legal services.
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