Ellicott City Domestic Violence Defense Lawyers

Seasoned Defense Attorneys Representing Clients Accused of Domestic Violence in Ellicott City, MD

Incidents within the household can sometimes escalate to a point where police get involved. Oftentimes, officers responding to the scene are only working with limited information, and the wrong person can get accused of domestic abuse. To protect yourself after an arrest, consider working with an Ellicott City, MD domestic violence defense attorney.

At Salvado Law Offices, we provide strong counsel and dedicated representation in criminal cases involving alleged family violence. For over 30 years, our firm has faithfully served our local communities, as we have helped many clients fight serious misdemeanor and felony charges. Our firm will review the allegations against you and look for ways to get the charges reduced or dismissed.

Assault Charges Involving Family Members in Maryland

Maryland does not have one single charge called "domestic violence" that applies to every family or household dispute. Many domestic violence cases are prosecuted as assault. In Ellicott City, this can involve allegations between spouses, dating partners, former partners, parents, adult children, roommates, or other household members.

Second-degree assault is often charged when someone is accused of hitting, pushing, grabbing, threatening, or trying to cause physical harm to another person. Even if an alleged injury is minor, the charge can still be serious. In Maryland, second-degree assault is generally a misdemeanor, but a conviction can carry up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $2,500, or both. More serious allegations, such as an assault involving a weapon or serious physical injury, can lead to first-degree assault charges and much harsher penalties.

Domestic assault allegations can be complicated because they come up during emotional, fast-moving conflicts. A defense may focus on self-defense, defense of another person, lack of intent, false accusations, conflicting witness statements, or the state's inability to prove what happened beyond a reasonable doubt.

Accused of Stalking Someone in Your Household?

Stalking allegations can also arise in domestic violence cases. Under Maryland law, stalking generally involves a malicious course of conduct that includes approaching or pursuing another person when the conduct causes or would cause a reasonable person to fear serious harm, assault, rape, false imprisonment, or death. It can also involve conduct that causes or would cause serious emotional distress.

In a household or relationship dispute, stalking accusations may involve repeated calls, texts, visits, social media messages, following someone, showing up at work, or monitoring a person's movements. However, not every uncomfortable or unwanted contact meets the legal definition of stalking. A person may have been trying to arrange child exchanges, recover personal property, discuss shared bills, or comply with an existing court order.

Stalking is a misdemeanor in Maryland. A conviction can lead to imprisonment for up to five years, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. The defense may challenge whether the alleged conduct was malicious, whether it was repeated enough to qualify as a course of conduct, whether the accused person knew contact was unwanted, and whether the evidence supports the alleged fear or distress.

How a Protective Order Can Affect a Domestic Violence Case

A protective order can change a domestic violence case immediately. The court may order a person to stay away from a home, avoid contact with the petitioner, surrender firearms, leave a shared residence, or follow temporary custody and visitation terms. These restrictions can affect a person's family, housing, work, and daily routine before the criminal case is resolved.

Protective order violations can also create new legal problems. A text message, phone call, third-party message, or accidental encounter could lead to accusations that the order was violated. If a criminal case and protective order case are happening at the same time, anything said in one case could affect the other. Our attorneys can help you understand what the order allows, what it prohibits, and how to avoid making the situation worse.

At Salvado Law Offices, we provide strong defense against Domestic Violence charges, working to safeguard your rights and protect your future.