Legal Representation For Criminal Defendants in Federal Way
Located between Seattle and Tacoma in King County, Federal Way is the 10th-largest city in the state of Washington. The city was named after Federal Highway U.S. 99. It was incorporated in 1990. Notable residents have included actor Kyle Secor,former NFL player Floyd Little, Olympic-medalist speed skater Apolo Ohno, former NFL player Reggie Jones, and former Major League Baseball pitcher Dan Spillner. Federal Way police officers respond to about 70,000 calls per year. Some of these are domestic violence calls. If you are accused of committing this offense near Federal Way, you should consider consulting experienced criminal defense attorneys at Vindicate Criminal Law Group to fight the charges against you.
Prosecutions for Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is a designation given to a variety of crimes in which the perpetrator and victim have a household or familial relationship. Most people assume that it refers to assault. However, the designation can even apply to telephone harassment.
Under RCW 9.61.230, the prosecutor of a telephone harassment charge must prove that the defendant made a telephone call with intent to harass, intimidate, embarrass, or torment a victim and that the defendant used lewd language, threatened to inflict injury, or called repetitively or at an extremely inconvenient time, even if there was no conversation. Telephone harassment is a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine. However, if the defendant was previously convicted of harassment with the same victim or a person specified in a no contact order, or the defendant harasses another person by threatening to kill the victim or someone else, the defendant can be charged with a class C felony.
When the domestic violence designation is applied, there are other penalties imposed. In fact, even before a defendant is convicted, a number of orders may go into effect that will likely feel like punishment to the accused person. Among these is a no contact order. This order prohibits a defendant from contacting the victim of the domestic violence, and it can be imposed early in a case, well before trial of the matter.
If you are convicted, the punishment that is imposed depends on the category of crime: misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, or felony. Misdemeanors are generally punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. Felonies can be punished with significantly harsher penalties. A charge like malicious mischief becomes a felony if there is a significant degree of property damage. If you are convicted of felony domestic violence, it is likely that you will face substantial jail time. There are other consequences to a domestic violence designation, including the possibility of attending a treatment program at your own expense and a ban on gun possession until at least 10 years have passed without further incident.
Fight Your Charges with the Help of a Federal Way Attorney
The punishments imposed for offenses involving interpersonal relationships are harsh, but they need not be inevitable. A skilled domestic violence lawyer in Federal Way can develop a strong strategy to fit your particular case, taking into account your relationship with the alleged victim and the effects on your children. At Vindicate Criminal Law Group, we understand that these cases have a significant subjective component, and the help of a lawyer who understands your story and can help you tell it to the prosecution can make a huge difference to the outcome. Contact us today for your confidential case evaluation, or call (888) 212-4824.