Domestic Violence

Domestic violence cases can often be very sticky to handle. For this reason, it is important to hire a seasoned Pittsburgh Criminal Attorney to defend you in these cases. These cases often start with an incident inside of a shared home. When the police arrive on scene, they may be confused about who was the aggressor. These cases involve boyfriends and girlfriends or husbands and wives, and usually the two people involved are the only witnesses to the assault. It is a classic “he said, she said” case. Thus, the police have to exercise their discretion and make a judgment call. They will usually pick one of the people who they believe was the aggressor and they will arrest and charge that person. Oftentimes, because of the lack of evidence in these types of cases, the police arrest the wrong person. This is why it is critical to hire experienced criminal defense attorneys who know how to tackle these cases. The police are often wrong, and you need an advocate to help you point out the inconsistencies in any story.

One way that these cases can be settled is if the defendant agrees to take anger management courses. There a few forms of anger management courses that may be available. Oftentimes what the courts will do is give the defendant 60 days to complete the courses. Upon completion of the courses, the case can oftentimes be dismissed, or the charges are reduced significantly. However, this option may not always be available. This is especially true if the defendant is a repeat offender or if the incident resulted in serious injury.

If the case cannot be handled with classes or treatment, other options are available. Sometimes, when both parties were violent in the interaction, they each may face potential criminal liability. If that is the case, attorneys can sometimes get each person to exercise their right to remain silent under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. If both parties exercise their rights, it can result in a complete dismissal of the case.

Another issue that may arise in a domestic violence case is the filing of a PFA, also known as a Protection from Abuse Order. PFA’s come hand in hand with domestic violence charges. A PFA is a civil order that requires one party involved to have no contact with another party. That may not seem serious, but PFA’s can also affect the custody rights or parents with children. It can also temporarily, but sometimes for long periods of time, require a person to surrender all of their firearms. PFA’s are serious matters that must be handled hand-in-hand with domestic violence charges.

Joe Pometto Law is an experienced Pittsburgh Criminal Attorney who can handle criminal domestic violence charges and PFA’s. These cases can affect defendants in such a large variety of ways, the impact can be life changing. Hiring an attorney is crucial. Joe Pometto Law is here to help you navigate these difficult issues in your life. Especially if children are involved. We stand ready and waiting to help you on domestic violence and PFA cases. Go For Joe – a local Western PA Law Firm.

SOME CRIMINAL LAW CASE RESULTS FROM OUR FIRM:

8/24/2022
Washington County: Atty. Pometto
Felony Firearm Possession – NOT GUILTY AFTER JURY TRIAL

7/6/2022
Allegheny County: Atty. Pometto
DUI Second Offense – NOT GUILTY AFTER JUDGE TRIAL