Something happened, and the police got involved – and now you have a temporary protective order against you while you’re waiting on a formal hearing. What now? You will eventually get to tell your side of the situation in court and fight the allegations and the order....
HELPING CLIENTS WITH
Personal Injury, Criminal Law, Traffic Violations, and Family Law & Divorce
Domestic Violence
Does domestic violence have to be physical?
In many cases, domestic violence is physical. It includes actions that cause serious bodily harm, such as physical assault or sexual assault. That said, under Maryland law, domestic violence does not have to be physical in nature. You could find yourself under arrest...
Potential defenses to domestic violence charges
Domestic violence charges are serious and can have significant legal consequences. They involve accusations of harm or threats of harm between individuals in a domestic setting, such as spouses, partners or family members. While these allegations must be taken...
Maryland no longer allows spousal defense for rape
It used to be that there was no such crime as spousal or marital rape. That has changed, state by state, over the years. Now most states recognize that a person can be raped by their spouse. Maryland was one of the few holdouts. Our state allowed a “spousal defense”...
Why might someone weaponize false domestic violence accusations?
Domestic violence remains a pervasive issue in relationships, with far-reaching implications for those involved. Yet, a question that often arises is why some spouses weaponize false domestic violence allegations when genuine domestic violence remains such a...
Why do people file false domestic violence charges?
A false domestic violence claim can throw your life into disarray, especially if you didn’t see it coming. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for someone you once loved, or still do, to falsely accuse you of assaulting them. And if this happens, it is in your best...
3 proactive steps after false domestic violence accusations
When a spouse or domestic partner feels scorned or mistreated by you, they can inflict a lot of damage on your reputation or even your way of life. One way they may do so is to claim you abused or harmed them. Of course, you want to set the record straight, but you...
Domestic violence victims can’t drop criminal charges
Relationships sometimes get rocky and contentious, but they shouldn’t ever get physical. It’s sometimes possible that accidental contact will occur. It’s also possible that someone will make false accusations of domestic violence. Once a victim reports a crime, they...
3 mistakes to avoid when charged with domestic violence
Domestic violence is a serious offense. It is defined as an actual or a threat of physical, sexual or psychological harm to an intimate partner or a family member. A domestic violence charge carries significant penalties. If you are facing this situation, here is what...
Do you have a duty to retreat in Maryland?
If someone threatens you or assaults you, Maryland law does allow you to defend yourself. In fact, self-defense is a very common reason for what would otherwise be aggressive behaviors. In many altercations, one person will legitimately claim that they did not...
