3 Mistakes To Avoid When Defending A Domestic Violence Charge In Melbourne

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If you have been charged with domestic violence in Melbourne, time is most definitely not on your side. Family violence is an important issue in Australia these days and the government is tackling such incidences very aggressively. Domestic violence is a crime and charges can be very hard to defence against. Here are three mistakes to avoid making when defending a domestic violence in the state of Victoria.

Mistake #1. Burying Your Head In The Sand

Being charged with domestic violence can leave many men feeling like they’ve just been run over by a truck. According to the State Government of Victoria’s official website, while violence has an ‘enormous impact on the physical and mental health of women and children’ most charges stem from verbal arguments that turned physical when someone did something as common as throw an object. Whether the victim, a child or a neighbour called the police, in Victoria the police do not arrive to calm the situation down. In many instances, Australian law compels the police to make an arrest when responding to a domestic violence call no matter who is at fault or what actually happened. If you have been charged with domestic violence, the worst mistake you can make is burying your head in the sand. You must set up an initial consultation with an experienced defence solicitor to help you understand why you have been charged and what the consequences will likely be.

Mistake #2. Interfering With Due Process
A common myth is that the victim in a domestic violence case can simply drop the charges and end the prosecution process. In the state of Victoria, the person claiming to be the victim has no control over the charges. In fact, the state is responsible for bring forward the domestic violence charges. Only the state, represented by the prosecutor, has the power to drop the charges. Trying to interfere with the actions of the victim is one of the worst mistakes you can make after having been charged with domestic violence.

Mistake #3. Procrastinating Before Hiring A Defence Solicitor

When choosing a defence solicitor, the key detail to search for is the number of years of experience that they have. If you want to know how to prepare for your court date, you should focus on finding the most experienced solicitor available to you within your budget. Once you have found an experienced criminal defence lawyer you should attend a face-to-face meeting at their law office to see whether they will be a good fit for you. A good lawyer will help explain what will happen to you, and what effect the domestic violence charges will have on your home and livelihood. Successful defence relies on your recollection of events. The longer you leave it before hiring a lawyer, the less successfully you will be able to defend yourself.

Conclusion
If you have been charged with domestic assault in Melbourne, it is imperative that you consult an aggressive defense solicitor in order to give yourself the best chance of defending the charge. What do you think of our list of mistakes? What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section below.

Featured images:

• License: Creative Commons image source
• License: Creative Commons image source

Mary Jonathan, the contributor of today’s article, is a freelance blogger, currently writing for Dribbin & Brown, well-known criminal defence lawyers in Dandenong. Mary loves gardening and maintains the garden at her home on weekends.

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