Like most people in Connecticut, you have probably heard the term “domestic violence” before. But, how well do you know exactly what the law means by this? It is actually very important to understand this especially if you are accused of perpetrating some act of domestic abuse or violence.
The Connecticut Judicial Branch explains that more people than you might think could potentially accuse you of domestic violence. It is not simply about alleged abuse of one spouse by another. A person can be charged with domestic violence against a spouse, an ex-spouse, a child, a parent and a current or past romantic partner. Additionally, such charges may involve any person related to a defendant by marriage or blood as well as the co-parent of a child even if the parents never lived together.
In addition to actual bodily injury, domestic violence may be charged for the threat of any violence, verbal abuse if it is believed physical harm could be resulting from such abuse as well as stalking of a person. Parental discipline that is not deemed to be abusive may not lead to charges of domestic violence.
Restraining and protective orders may be issued in cases of alleged domestic violence. A protective order may be obtained only if a person has been arrested. A restraining order requires no criminal charges or arrest. If you would like to learn more about how Connecticut handles domestic violence, please feel free to visit the family crimes page of our criminal defense website.