Domestic Violence is an assault or an assault and battery committed against one of the following:  

• someone related to you

• someone you live with

• someone you have a child with

• someone you are dating

• someone you have previously had a relationship with

Penalties:

• First Offense - Up to 93 days in jail*

• Second Offense - Up to 1 year in jail

• Third Offense - Up to 2 years in prison

First time offenders are eligible to have the conviction taken under advisement so that if they successfully complete their probation, it will not go on their record.

What Defenses are there?

Jury Instruction:

• The defendant is charged with the crime of domestic assault.  To prove this charge, the prosecutor must prove each of the following elements beyond a reasonable doubt:

• First, that the defendant [assaulted / assaulted and battered] [name complainant].

• A battery is the forceful, violent, or offensive touching of a person or something closely connected with him or her.[FN 2] The touching must have been intended by the defendant, that is, not accidental, and it must have been against [name complainant]'s will.

• An assault is an attempt to commit a battery or an act that would cause a reasonable person to fear or apprehend an immediate battery. The defendant must have intended either to commit a battery or to make [name complainant] reasonably fear an immediate battery. [An assault cannot happen by accident.] At the time of an assault, the defendant must have had the ability to commit a battery, or must have appeared to have the ability, or must have thought [he / she] had the ability.

• Second, that at the time [name complainant]: [Select one or more of the following:]

1. Was the defendant's spouse

2. Was the defendant's former spouse

3. Had a child in common with the defendant

4. Was a resident or former resident of the same household as the defendant

5. Was a person with whom the defendant had or previously had a dating relationship. A “dating relationship” means frequent, intimate association primarily characterized by the expectation of affectional involvement. It does not include a casual relationship or an ordinary fraternization between two individuals in a business or social context.

Why Hire the Ambrose Law Group for your Domestic Violence Case?

We are Michigan Domestic Violence lawyers located in Walled Lake, Troy, Berkley, Roseville, and Oxford. We offer FREE case evaluations, and will give you personalized advice and information so that you know what you are up against and understand what defenses you have. We have the experience, the knowledge, and the resources to protect you.

Not all law firms are the same! Where most attorneys work alone, the Ambrose Law Group has a staff of trial lawyers to investigate, prepare, and defend you at trial! The lawyers of the Ambrose Law Group are graduates of the National College of Drunk Driving Defense, The Western Trial Advocacy Institute, and Gerry Spence's Trial Lawyer's College.

We engage in full discovery in every case. We can’t advise you on the best course of action in your case until we know everything about it. When we are hired, we immediately demand the police reports, in-car videos, and booking videos before the police have an opportunity to destroy them. Only after having reviewed the police reports and videos can we advise you on how to best resolve your case.

You may have defenses that other lawyers will not find for you. You should not simply walk into court and plead guilty without first having your case evaluated by a skilled, knowledgeable and trial-tested lawyer. Not all cases are defendable, but all situations are explainable. It only makes sense to know all of your options before making a decision that will affect the rest of your life.

Related Topics

• Domestic Violence
• Aggravated Domestic Violence