As in all other states, North Carolina treats domestic violence charges seriously. Law enforcement officials pursue cases involving spousal and child abuse aggressively. People facing any type of domestic abuse charge often face a tough battle in proving their innocence, which is why it is critical to work with an experienced criminal defense attorney.
If you are facing domestic violence allegations, you should consult with a seasoned Elizabeth City spousal abuse lawyer who knows how to defend and protect your rights. A dedicated legal team can meet with you to explain your legal options and discuss the best strategy for moving forward.
What Is Spousal Abuse?
Spousal abuse is domestic violence committed against someone to whom the defendant is or was legally married. For legal purposes, someone can also face domestic violence charges if they are a former spouse, share a child with the alleged victim, cohabitated with the alleged victim, or are or recently were in a dating relationship with the alleged victim. According to North Carolina General Assembly § 14-32.5, a person can face Class A1 misdemeanor charges if they use or try to use physical force or threaten to use a deadly weapon in a domestic violence situation. If convicted, a defendant could face up to 150 days in jail and a severe fine.
A practiced attorney in Elizabeth City understands how harsh the potential penalties are for spousal abuse and can fight hard to help.
Possible Defense Strategies for Spousal Abuse Charges
A diligent Elizabeth City lawyer will take the time to get to know everything about the individual spousal abuse case.
Our legal team can review the police and prosecution’s conduct and procedure to see if they overstepped and violated any constitutional rights during their investigation or arrest. For example, a lawyer can check to see if law enforcement had probable cause and a valid warrant to perform an arrest. If we find evidence indicating a constitutional violation, we can move to exclude any evidence illegally obtained and potentially ask the court to dismiss the charges.
Instead of relying solely on the prosecution’s evidence, an attorney will listen to your side of the story. They will perform their own independent investigation. They can search for evidence to corroborate what happened and look for witnesses.
A lawyer can develop a solid defense strategy that fits the evidence they find. We will pursue the best possible outcome, given the facts. In the best-case scenario, we might be able to get the charges dismissed. If the prosecution is unwilling to drop the charges and you feel it is in your family’s best interests to settle, our legal team might be able to get the charges or penalties reduced. If necessary, a lawyer can take your case to trial and aggressively defend your rights. We will look to disprove each element of the prosecution’s case in order to leave reasonable doubt in a jury.
Meet With an Elizabeth City Spousal Abuse Attorney
As with all domestic violence allegations, you need to take spousal abuse charges seriously. A seasoned Elizabeth City spousal abuse lawyer can help guide you through this challenging time by answering all your questions and keeping you informed throughout each stage of your criminal case.
Meet with an attorney from Parks Zeigler, PLLC, to learn what we can do to protect you.
