Domestic Violence in Tacoma

In Tacoma, domestic violence crimes are serious, and the punishments can be devastating in ways that many people don't realize. A conviction will result in a series of severe penalties, and intangible repercussions that may include losing your job, financial ruin, and terrible emotional strain for every member of your family. If you've been charged with this Washington crime, contact our Tacoma domestic violence lawyers immediately so that they can get started on your defense.

The severity of the domestic violence crime will determine the severity of the punishment. Most domestic violence cases in Tacoma are classified as gross misdemeanors. A conviction will result in up to a year in jail and fines totaling $5,000 and if the victim incurred any injuries, the charge could be elevated to a felony with even more potentially devastating punishments. If you have prior convictions, you could be charged with a Class C felony in Tacoma, with penalties of up to five years in jail and fines of $10,000.

If any property was damaged during the alleged incident, a malicious mischief charge could accompany the domestic violence charge, which is another potentially life-altering crime with its own penalties. With so many variables involved in these cases, we highly recommend that you speak with one of our qualified Tacoma domestic violence attorneys about your situation as soon possible.

At the Law Office of Jason S. Newcombe, we believe that for an attorney there is no substitute for experience and dedication to the law. For more than 3 decades collectively, our qualified lawyers have handled cases in both the Municipal and District Courts. Whether you've been charged with a felony or misdemeanor, you should address the situation with urgency and seriousness. The actions you take right now may well affect how your Tacoma domestic violence case is resolved, and may even influence the severity of your punishments.

When a police officer responds to a domestic dispute call, they are prone to arresting the party who appears to be the aggressor, and the state will likely seek a conviction even if the alleged victim chooses not to press charges. In these situations, a no-contact order is routinely issued, which prevents the two parties from having contact or direct communication.

A Court may decide to place a no contact order upon you for a variety of reasons and can include a multitude of different conditions. If you have a no contact order put in place against you, it is important that you first read the conditions very carefully. Even a violation without any malicious intent can result in a gross misdemeanor conviction or in some instances, a class C felony!

A violation of a no contact order becomes a class C felony when the “contact” is actually an assault. So if you could be charged with assault fourth degree, which is a gross misdemeanor, you would also be facing a felony violation of the no contact order. You can also be facing a felony if you have prior violations of the no contact order.

A protection order may also be granted to the alleged victim. Any violation of the order may lead to another arrest, with additional charges being filed. This turn of events would make it even more difficult to mitigate the damage from the original domestic violence charges.

Our Tacoma domestic violence attorneys like to get started on a defense as quickly as possible, so you should contact our law office without delay. The Tacoma domestic violence lawyers from our law firm will aggressively pursue all avenues to minimize the punishments you face, while offering you reliable counsel when you need it most.

Contact our Tacoma law office for your professional case evaluation today, and let us protect your legal rights and make sure your side of the story gets told.