Your partner calls the police on you during a fight or your neighbors overhear something and they call the cops. All of a sudden, you find yourself sitting in jail and facing charges of domestic violence.
You probably don’t like the idea of going to court because of the embarrassment possibly involved. Far too many people quickly plead guilty to domestic violence allegations because they worry about the impact a conviction could have. While they may not realize is that even if they avoided jail with a plea, they could still face secondary consequence outside of the criminal justice system after pleading guilty.
Those charges can affect custody of your children
If you have children, even if they weren’t involved in the domestic violence situation, you could eventually find yourself dealing with custody limitations specifically because of your domestic violence conviction.
Although the courts like to keep both parents involved in their children’s lives, allegations of abuse are a common reason for parents to receive sole custody of minor children.
A conviction could limit your job or housing opportunities
Most employers and landlords perform background checks these days. Even misdemeanor offenses involving domestic violence can affect your eligibility for certain jobs and rental housing.
Domestic violence can end your legal gun ownership
There is a federal law, firearm ownership rights can be revoked for anyone convicted of state or federal domestic violence charges. Misdemeanor offenses that don’t include domestic violence in the specific charge can strip you of your right to bear arms if the charge stems from allegations of domestic violence.
Knowing the secondary consequences can help you make a more informed decision about your response to domestic violence charges.
