Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

felony domestic abuse

I just got arrested for a felony domestic violence charge. I am on probation from a year to year and a half old dui as well. I am disabled and cannot walk without crutches .my girl showed the cop a pic of her with a black eye and said id hit her a week ago and she had a knot on her head from the argument from the night before. i have scratches on my chest and bruises on my arm and chest. i dint give much of a statement except for saying that we argued and we wrestled he asked how she got the knot on her head i said i didnt know and honestly i didn't but she said i punched her. He also asked why we argued and i said it was because i shared some pics she did not want me to share. I told the cops she came home drunk and irate and yelling. and saying things to get me excited but i did not tell them that she took my crutches away and also hit me first. i have bruises from where she kicked me and scratches on my chest. she did not ask for a restraining order and i was able to bail out if that means anything.

my question is since i left details out what will happen and what can i do about it? can or should i call the same police officer?can i reduce the charges?what are the odds that the D.A. will not press charges?

thanks


Asked on 2/01/09, 3:39 pm

4 Answers from Attorneys
Terry A. Nelson Nelson & Lawless

Re: felony domestic abuse

You face charges that could put in in jail/prison. There is no magic wand to make this go away. Prosecutors don't file charges just to drop them. If you don't know how to effectively represent yourself in court, then hire an attorney who does. If this is SoCAL and you're serious about hiring counsel, feel free to contact me.

Read more
Answered on 2/02/09, 2:33 pm
George Moschopoulos The Law Office of George Moschopoulos

Re: felony domestic abuse

Don't call the police. No one knows if the DA will press charges except for the DA. You should hire an attorney or if you cannot afford one the public defender will be appointed.

Read more
Answered on 2/01/09, 4:16 pm
George Moschopoulos The Law Office of George Moschopoulos

Re: felony domestic abuse

Don't call the police. No one knows if the DA will press charges except for the DA. You should hire an attorney or if you cannot afford one the public defender will be appointed.

Read more
Answered on 2/01/09, 4:18 pm
Jacek W. Lentz Law Offices of Jacek W. Lentz

Re: felony domestic abuse

This is a type of offense which the DA will take most seriously. Domestic violence belongs to a type of cases which do not go away easily. That said, if you have a good lawyer on your side, he/she might be able to present evidence on your behalf before the DA makes the decision whether to file. If the charges are not dismissed, you will also need a lawyer to defend your case.

The worst thing you can do is to try to defend yourself. This is never a good idea as you are more likely to harm your situation. It happens all too often that people think they are helping themselves while in reality they are providing information that will inevitably be used against them. The police and prosecution ARE NOT looking to exonerate you - in their eyes you are already guilty and they are fishing for incriminating information to wrap up their case against you as early as they can. Only a skilled lawyer will know how to effectively advocate on your behalf.

Feel free to contact my office for additional and non-binding consultation.

Jacek W. Lentz, Esq.

310.273.1361

www.lentzlawfirm.com

Read more
Answered on 2/01/09, 11:04 pm


Related Questions & Answers

More Criminal Law questions and answers in California