Carteret County Domestic Violence Attorney

Understanding the Legal Definition of Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is one of the most emotionally-charged crimes that a defendant can find themselves facing. Pursuant to §50B-1, this is an offense that is defined by the commission of the following acts against someone with whom the defendant has a personal relationship with:

• Attempting to cause serious bodily injury;
• Placing the alleged victim in fear of imminent injury;
• Harassing the victim to the point of stalking; or
• Committing an act that is defined as rape or other sexual offense

The term "personal relationship" is also defined within the law and is not as specific of a term as one would think. Anything from an ex-spouse to former roommates, people who have a child together and even those who are casually dating can be decided as being in a personal relationship – therefore causing the act to fall both under the first criminal act and the umbrella term of domestic violence.

Contact a North Carolina domestic violence defense lawyer today!

If you have been accused of committing domestic violence, it is important that you realize the uphill battle that you will be facing. In many cases, a domestic violence charge can be made out of spite, jealousy or even in the attempt of the alleged victim to gain the upper hand in a pre-existing family law suit. The difficulty arises when one realizes that even if they wish to drop the charges, the alleged victim will often not be able to – by that time, it will be up to the prosecutor in determining whether or not they would like to pursue formal charges.

At Cummings & Cummings, we realize that there are situations in which a criminal charge was made against the undeserving. We also, however, realize that innocence is often not enough to protect your legal rights. When facing life-altering penalties, it is not enough to know the truth and hope that it will work itself out in time. You need to be confident that you have the representation of an experienced Carteret County criminal defense lawyer on your side who will help you to fight tooth and nail to defend your legal rights. We have over two decades of legal experience and have been proven as true advocates for the rights of the accused – call us today to learn more!

Charged with domestic violence? Contact Cummings & Cummings today to discuss your case!