Freehold Domestic Violence Lawyer
Protect Yourself with the Help of an Experienced Freehold Domestic Violence Lawyer
Domestic violence charges carry severe penalties under New Jersey law. If you get convicted of a domestic violence offense in court, you can face fines, jail time, and other life-altering consequences to include the forfeiture of all firearms and the inability to legally own a gun ever again. Avoiding these consequences requires experienced legal representation, and this makes it important to hire an experienced Freehold domestic violence lawyer as soon as possible.
But this isn’t the only reason to hire a lawyer right away.
In addition to consequences at trial, domestic violence arrests can also have immediate consequences in New Jersey—regardless of your guilt or innocence. The police can force you to leave your home (if they do not take you to jail), and a judge can enter a restraining order against you before you have the opportunity to appear in court. Violating this restraining order can lead to severe penalties as well, and to protect yourself, you need to make sure you are relying on the advice of experienced legal counsel. Please be aware that you may need to defend yourself against the recently-enacted Victim Assistant Survivor Protection Act (VASPA), which allows for “non-protected” individuals to seek restraining orders; so working with a Freehold domestic violence lawyer is imperative.
Experienced Legal Counsel for Individuals Facing Domestic Violence Charges in Freehold, NJ
We have extensive experience representing individuals who are facing domestic violence charges in New Jersey. Each Freehold domestic violence lawyer at Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A. is intimately familiar with the laws, court procedures, and defenses that apply in these cases. We rely on our knowledge to provide immediate and effective defense representation to our clients, doing everything we can to ensure that their arrests do not unnecessarily impact their lives.
While every case is unique, there are several potential defenses to domestic violence charges under New Jersey law. When you meet with a Freehold domestic violence lawyer at our firm, your lawyer will evaluate all of the options and determine which defenses he or she can assert on your behalf. Some examples of defenses we may be able to use to protect you in your domestic violence case in Freehold include:
- False Accusations – Unfortunately, false accusations of domestic violence are not uncommon. If you have been falsely accused, we will do everything possible to prove it. Text messages, social media posts, and various other forms of evidence can be used to prove false accusations in many cases.
- Accidental Injury – Some cases involving false accusations also involve accidental injuries. Accidentally injuring someone is not the same as harming them intentionally. If you accidentally injured a spouse, partner, or other member of your household, prosecution may be unwarranted.
- Self Defense (or Defense of Someone Else) – If you were not the aggressor, you do not deserve to be prosecuted for domestic violence. This is true whether you were forced to act in self defense or in defense of someone else (i.e., a child, partner, or other family members).
- Illegal Search or Seizure – Even if you committed an act that is prosecutable as domestic violence under New Jersey law, you may still be entitled to a dismissal if the police conducted an illegal search or seizure. In this scenario, the prosecution’s evidence may be inadmissible in court, and without evidence, prosecutors won’t be able to convict you.
- Insufficient Evidence of Guilt – Even if the prosecution’s evidence is admissible, it must be sufficient to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. No matter what happened, if prosecutors cannot meet their burden of proof, you are entitled to walk free and return to your home.
Again, these are just examples of defenses a Freehold domestic violence lawyer at our firm may be able to assert on your behalf. There are other potential defenses as well. The details matter, and once you meet with one of our lawyers one-on-one, we will be able to explain your options and provide a realistic assessment of the potential outcomes in your case.
We Handle All Types of Domestic Violence Cases in Freehold
Our lawyers defend individuals facing all types of domestic violence charges in Freehold and the surrounding areas. Under New Jersey’s Prevention of Domestic Violence Act (PDVA), all of the following crimes can be prosecuted as domestic violence if they are committed against a “protected person”:
- Assault
- Criminal restraint
- Criminal sexual contact
- Criminal trespass
- Harassment (including cyber harassment)
- Kidnapping
- Robbery or burglary
- Sexual assault (or aggravated sexual assault)
- Stalking
- Terroristic threats
- Any other crime involving risk of serious bodily injury or death
A “protected person” under the PDVA is someone with whom the alleged perpetrator lives (or previously lived) or has (or previously had) an intimate relationship. This includes:
- Current and former spouses, boyfriends, and girlfriends
- Parents of shared children (including individuals with whom the alleged perpetrator is expecting a child)
- Other adults who are current or former members of the alleged perpetrator’s household
- Emancipated minors
What To Do if You Have Been Arrested for Domestic Violence in Freehold
If you have been arrested for domestic violence in Freehold, you need to be very careful. While you may have strong defenses to the charges against you, it is up to you to protect your ability to raise these defenses in court.
What does it mean to be careful in this scenario? Most importantly, it means relying on the advice of an experienced Freehold domestic violence lawyer. An experienced lawyer will be able to explain what to do (and what not to do) and will be able to communicate with the prosecutor’s office and the judge on your behalf. If you say or do the wrong thing, you might not get a second chance—and this could negatively impact all aspects of your life for years to come.
Schedule a Confidential Consultation with a Freehold Domestic Violence Lawyer Today
If you are facing domestic violence charges in the Freehold area, we strongly encourage you to contact us for more information. Our local office is located at 92 West Main Street downtown. To schedule a confidential consultation with a Freehold domestic violence lawyer at Helmer, Conley & Kasselman, P.A. as soon as possible, call 877-435-6371 or tell us how we can reach you online now.
