Atlantic City Domestic Violence Defense Lawyer

Accusations of domestic violence can tear a family apart, and a domestic violence conviction will change your life forever.  If you want to protect your rights and do what is best for your family after being charged with domestic violence, you want an attorney who will fight to prevent the filing of charges, fight to have charges dismissed, and if necessary, fight for your rights in court.  Lombardo Law Group, LLC has both prosecuted and defended domestic violence cases.

Get Legal Representation for Your Atlantic City Domestic Violence Charges

When you are charged with domestic violence in Atlantic City, there are laws in the state of NJ that criminalize domestic violence and offer methods of civil relief to the victims. Charges of domestic violence are serious and can carry significant penalties. Domestic violence charges can be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor.  A defendant who is convicted of a felony domestic violence charge can serve significant time in prison, whereas a defendant convicted of a misdemeanor may serve little or no jail time, but instead be put on probation, required to pay a fine, and/or attend counseling.

Lombardo Law Group, LLC has handled domestic violence cases involving all types of relationships, including spouses, domestic partners, boyfriends/girlfriends, and family members.  We have protected the rights of both men and women accused of domestic violence.

The sooner you take action, the more we can do to protect your rights.  If you contact us before charges are filed, we can often secure exonerating information from the accusing partner or other witnesses which can result in charges not being filed.  It is much harder to have a case dismissed after charges have been filed; although we have successfully done that as well.

What Is Domestic Violence in Atlantic City?

Domestic violence is legally defined as any abusive, violent, coercive, forceful, or threatening act or word inflicted by one member of a family or household on another can constitute domestic violence.

It’s important to note that in order for an arrest to be considered domestic violence, the relationship between the accuser and the accused has to meet specific criteria. In Atlantic City, the defendant must be over 18 years old or an emancipated minor. He or she must have one of the following relationships with the accuser:

• Marriage
• Separation
• Divorce
• Living together in the same household at present or in the past
• A person whom the plaintiff has dated
• A person with whom the plaintiff has a child in common or anticipates having a child in common

Break Down of Domestic Violence Offenses in Atlantic City

In 2011, there were 831 recorded domestic violence offenses in Atlantic City and 5,696 in all of Atlantic County. Even one instance of domestic violence is too many, but Atlantic City seems to at least be headed in the right direction. In all of the following categories, 2011 totals were down at least 19% from 2010:

• Domestic Violence Restraining Order Only: 90 in Atlantic City in 2011
• Domestic Violence Restraining Order with Offense Arrest: 56 in Atlantic City in 2011
• Total Arrests Involving Domestic Violence Restraining Orders: 146 in Atlantic City in 2011

Penalties for Domestic Abuse in NJ

The penalties for a domestic violence conviction in Atlantic City are severe. And rightfully so — these are often violent crimes against family members who are supposed to be looking out for each other. Those convicted of domestic violence can face:

• Heavy fines and legal fees
• Eviction
• A change in alimony and child custody

Any combination of these consequences can be life-altering. That’s why it’s so important to find an expert on your side in the form of an Atlantic City domestic violence attorney as soon as possible. Contact the Law Offices of Joseph Lombardo, an expert in Atlantic City false domestic violence claims, for help with your case.