Effect of Domestic Violence Accusations

Mere allegations of domestic violence can be devastating to your career and future earning ability. It does not matter if it has any basis in truth at all, a domestic violence accusation on its own can cause you to lose your job, your security clearance, and your house.

Serious as these effects are, they are the tip of the iceberg. You may also lose the trust and respect of your friends and co-workers, contact with your children and your own peace of mind and health will suffer as you fight to clear your name.

Domestic violence accusations are enough to have you:

  • ordered not to telephone, contact or communicate in any way with the petitioner and this can include your children;
  • forced out of your home, and ordered not to be within a certain number of feet or even miles of the petitioner’s residence;
  • ordered to stay away from, not telephone or contact additional locations, including your own work place;
  • ordered not to possess or use controlled substances;
  • forced to turn over your vehicle and all keys to it, your house keys, mailbox keys;
  • forced to turn over personal and essential documents belonging to the petitioner and the children;
  • ordered not to sell or dispose of personal property of the petitioner or any property jointly held or any disputed property;

All of this can be done without your knowledge, consent or input.  The first you may know of it is when you are served with the protective order. Additionally the judge can issue other orders not previously stated including the following related to child protection.

A child protective order may:

  • keep you from having contact with your children,
  • grant temporary custody of the children to the accusing spouse,
  • require you pay child support,
  • require you to pay spousal support
  • require you to keep the court informed of your current address, and
  • surrender your firearms.

Violating a Protective Order

It is essential to note that violation of a protective order is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year of incarceration and a $10,000 fine. After you have been served, you can be arrested without a warrant for violating the order. And, if you are not a US citizen you may even be deported.
 

Act Fast to Minimize the Damaging Effects of False Allegations

Once you are served, violating a protective order is a crime. And in all likelihood, you will be served at work, by a police officer or state trooper, in front of your supervisor and co-workers. Do not underestimate the impact of an allegation of domestic violence. It is naive to assume that the court will “see through her lies.”
 
If there are — or may be — allegations of domestic violence in your divorce or custody case, you need an attorney who understands the process and can protect you. Unfortunately most men wait until the very last moment to seek legal advice by that time it is almost too late to provide effective legal representation.
 
By taking a swift action upon reasonable belief that you will be accused of domestic violence you minimize your risk of adverse findings.

Have you been accused of domestic violence?

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