More strange news out of South Florida after a 33-year-old woman was charged with domestic violence after her boyfriend missed a parking spot at a mall, ABC News reports.
Domestic violence in Boca Raton is a daily occurrence and yet police are often tasked with the difficult job of determining who was the aggressor and who was the victim. In cases where both people have cuts, bruises and scrapes, who should an officer trust?
Boca Raton criminal defense lawyers believe that it's difficult to make a snap judgement like that, especially when it's likely that one of the two people may be lying in order to avoid criminal charges. Far too often, if a man and woman get into an argument and the two turn their aggression to physical threats, the police will assume the man is responsible and charge only him.
This can happen even in situations where both the man and the woman have marks showing them have been in a tussle. Even in cases where there are no other witnesses and it's literally he said vs. she said, police will often make an arrest simply to assure there are no more flareups that turn worse.
But not in this case recently in Boca Raton. According to the news channel, a man and women were driving to the Town Center at Boca Raton. They were circling the crowded parking lot, looking for a free space to park.
The man was driving his girlfriend's car and as he missed a spot, the woman allegedly threw a cup of water at him and then slapped him several times, according to law enforcement officers.
According to the 33-year-old woman's arrest report, the man was wet and had red markings on his face when officers arrived at the scene.
This is certainly a strange case and it would appear that the man called police, though the news article doesn't specifically say that. This may be one of those situations where the victim/suspect was obvious to police, but that's not always the case.
In situations where people seek domestic violence injunctions, a Boca Raton criminal defense attorney should also be consulted. A person can be a temporary order with little evidence, though the person who the order is against gets notice and can appeal.
Legal representation is key in these situations because persuading a judge means the difference between an order being granted or denied. These orders can severely inconvenience a person's life because they typically restrict how close a person can get to the victim as well as whether they can contact them at all, either directly or indirectly.
For couples who have joint children or friends in common, this can be difficult. It also creates a stigma against the defendant, even if the facts are exaggerated. The standard of proof in these cases is low and simply convincing a judge to sign the order is all that takes to put one in place. Violating an order can lead to criminal charges, even if there aren't any charges currently in place.
If you, a family member or other loved one is arrested and charged with a crime in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale or Miami, contact Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense Lawyers today at 1-866-727-5384 to discuss your rights.
More Blog Entries:
Boca Raton Domestic Violence Incident Highlights Question of Restraining Orders: January 10, 2012
