| Many divorce attorneys and divorce lawyers are | | | | sentence and to a civil punishment such as money |
| often confronted with this question because of the | | | | damages. |
| difficulties associated with domestic violence cases. | | | | Many States also tend to consider domestic violence |
| Indeed domestic violence can take numerous shapes | | | | a crime against the community. As a consequence, a |
| including actual physical abuse or threats of physical | | | | domestic violence case may be subject to |
| abuse, emotional abuse, threatening telephone calls, | | | | prosecution by the city or district attorney even if |
| disturbances at person’s workplace and stalking. | | | | charges have not been brought by the abused |
| Domestic violence covers many forms of abuse such | | | | person and even without his/her assistance. Too |
| as physical or emotional dominance and control over | | | | often, and in most famous domestic violence cases, |
| a close related person, whether spouse/husband or | | | | the abused person ran away from the family |
| any other relative. | | | | residence, contacted the police, pressed charges, and |
| Therefore, the question to of whether or not | | | | then tried to have the charges dropped because he |
| domestic violence is punishable under criminal law will | | | | she managed to reconcile with the abuser. In order |
| often depend on the type of domestic violence and | | | | to prevent such patterns from being repeated, many |
| the specific circumstances in which the act or acts of | | | | local communities and states enforced a more severe |
| domestic violence took place. However, repeated | | | | legal system regarding domestic violence matters. |
| actual physical abuse is generally not punished the | | | | Whether it is the first complaint or not or charges |
| same way as disturbances. | | | | were pressed or not, domestic violence cases can be |
| Further, there are no common national laws regarding | | | | brought to justice. Many local communities or states |
| domestic violence matters in the United States. Each | | | | try to inform and warn that domestic violence will |
| State has its own laws to handle domestic violence | | | | not be tolerated by local authorities. If you want to |
| cases. Therefore the same domestic violence case | | | | know more about your local legal system and what |
| may be judged differently from one state to | | | | acts of domestic violence is considered a crime, you |
| another. However, most States tend to consider | | | | can get some useful information with your local bar |
| domestic violence both as a crime and a civil offense. | | | | association or by consulting an attorney in your |
| Therefore, the domestic violence offender may be | | | | jurisdiction. |
| subject to both a criminal punishment such as a jail | | | | |