Impact of a Domestic Violence Charge: Why Hire an Experienced Lawyer

April 15, 2018 Posted in Domestic Violence

A domestic violence (DV) charge should not be taken lightly. It is a serious charge with potential long-term repercussions on your rights and freedom. If you are charged with domestic violence, you should immediately consult with an experienced domestic violence lawyer. The Law Offices of Gary L. Rohlwing can help protect your rights.

Following are the various negative effects of domestic violence on various aspects of your life, if convicted.

Consequences on Your Employment

Getting a domestic violence conviction may cause you to lose your present job or make it difficult for you to find gainful employment. With today’s advanced technology, employers can easily verify the criminal records of potential and current employees. There are even websites that offer to provide criminal background checks within minutes at a very minimal cost.

Before making a decision to hire an applicant, most employers run a background check. When an employee is flagged for a domestic violence charge, it is generally considered an indication that the person is dangerous and prone to violence, whether at home or in the work place. As a result, the employee will not be offered a job.

Likewise, current employees who are convicted of a domestic violence crime may not be considered for promotion or stricken off the list of candidates – even if they have the necessary experience and skills for the job. In some cases, they may even be fired from their jobs – even if they have been with the company for a long time.

Consequences on Your Military Career

Once you are convicted for a domestic violence crime, you can kiss your military career goodbye. Aside from getting disqualified from serving in the military, a conviction will bar you from carrying a firearm or any kind of weapon. You will be discharged involuntarily from service, and if you are planning on entering the service, you will not be permitted to enlist. It may also affect your retirement benefits.

You will also be denied of a security clearance under Directive 5220.6 of the Defense Department. Your military pension will be stopped, if you are currently entitled to it. Thus, you must make sure to talk to your lawyer as soon as you are charged with domestic violence.

Consequences on Your Marriage and Child Custody

In many cases, a criminal conviction for domestic violence may spell the end of your marriage. Most couples involved in domestic violence ended up in divorce or separation. If you have children, you will likely lose in a custody battle, in case one will ensue. In almost all cases, custody is awarded to the victim spouse.

Because being a domestic violence victim becomes a big advantage not only in child custody cases, some scheming spouses use allegations of domestic violence against their partners to win custody of their children, gain a decided edge in divorce situations, as well as to hide adultery.

Consequences on Your Professional Licenses and Permits

Renewing or getting a new professional license may become difficult if you have a criminal domestic violence conviction. The same is true when getting a financial bond. This can be a big problem for professionals like lawyers, doctors, nurses, bond traders, stock brokers, and real estate agents, among others.

If your profession requires the use of explosives and weapons like guns and firearms, you can no longer effectively perform your duties because a conviction will disallow you from bearing arms. Under the law, a convicted domestic violence offender can’t possess, buy, acquire, or take possession of firearms, ammo, and other dangerous weapons.

If you are found guilty of violating this federal law, you will be meted with a mandatory sentence of at least 5 years in jail, in effect causing you to lose gainful employment. These include, police officers, fire officers, and other jobs that involve the use of firearms, weapons, guns, explosives, and other dangerous substances.

Domestic violence is a criminal offense, and should never be taken lightly. Bear in mind that once you are convicted, the repercussions on your future may be devastating and permanent.

If you need a domestic violence attorney, call the Law Offices of Gary L Rohlwing as soon as you are charged with a DV crime. We have the experience in handling various types of domestic violence cases.