Maine Domestic Violence Crimes

Domestic violence crimes are crimes that are committed against a "family or household member." This means that the only difference between an assault and a domestic violence assault is the victim. 

The law does not take into consideration any other factors in determining when a crime becomes "domestic violence."

This means that a domestic violence defendant is not always an abuser or batterer and it means that some people are facing serious consequences (including jail time) whether or not they deserve to. 

Publicity Drives the Policy

Domestic violence crimes are treated very seriously by the courts and by the public. Most of this attention is focused on urging people to believe alleged victims of domestic violence in order to encourage more victims to come forward. The problem with this approach is that it often involves ignoring evidence and the stark reality that sometimes people lie.

Because the public perception of these crimes is working against you from the start, it is vital to hire a competent and aggressive criminal defense attorney who is able to find holes in the prosecution's case. 

Search for the Truth

A strong defense to these charges requires a proactive approach. It is up to your defense lawyer to take on the burden of independently investigating the case. Often, that means working closely with a private investigator to interview witnesses and closely inspecting any physical evidence there might be. 

Most importantly, it means challenging the State's narrative and not simply accepting the story placed in front of you.