Charged with Domestic Violence in Ohio: Your Next Steps

If you have been charged with domestic violence, the very first thing you need to do is speak with an experienced, trusted criminal defense attorney. Too many people make the mistake of trying to go it alone as a pro se defendant or simply accepting a public defender.

Why You Should Hire a Private Ohio Criminal Defense Attorney

You should never represent yourself in a criminal proceeding. A lot of people think they can watch Law and Order, do a little research, and — voila! — be their very own defense attorney. It doesn’t work that way. If you are not familiar with the court process, do not have a working knowledge of the law, and do not know the many pitfalls of the criminal process, then the situation can go south for you in a hurry. Remember that the other side is stocked with DAs who handle these cases all the time. Take these charges seriously and hire an attorney who can competently defend you.

You should also think twice before just going with a public defender. Since public defenders are at the beck and call of the entire community, they are weighed down with heavy caseloads, which means that your case will only receive as much time as the public defender can allot to it before switching gears to the many other cases he or she handles. It is in part a function of the fact that there are only so many hours in the day and days in the week, and public defenders are notoriously overloaded. You will not receive the kind of attention and effort a private criminal defense attorney can give; you get what you pay for.

Most importantly, don’t undervalue the fact that you get to pick your private criminal defense attorney. You choose what traits, abilities, and professional style matters to you, instead of accepting whichever public defender happens to be assigned to your case. Take control of the situation, and find the best attorney for you.

Set Up a Consultation with Your Criminal Defense Attorney

You need to understand what you will be up against before proceeding with a plan. This means that you should set up a consultation to sit down with your attorney and tell them your side of the story.

When clients come into our office, I talk with them about what happened, and I talk with them about what led up to the charge to understand the issue better. I walk them through the criminal legal process, letting them know what they should expect in terms of how the process works. I give them my honest opinion about what we should do to move forward for the best result.

Do Your Homework Before You Go

Before you go, here are some helpful things to either write down or bring:

• A copy of the police report. It will contain the police officer's account of what happened including what you, the accuser or accusers, and any witnesses said when interviewed. It will contain police observations and may contain pictures. Mentally prepare yourself. Police reports always cast you in a terrible light, and most people are often shocked at how skewed it reads. The good news is that many courts are aware of this too.
• Any other court document such as summonses, affidavits, or other records.
• Provide a narrative for your attorney. Sit down by yourself and try to recall as calmly as you can what happened the day the incident took place. Write down as much as you can and as much detail as you can. The sooner you do this the better so that you remember things more freshly. Do not share this with anyone. It is to help your attorney. That's it. So once written, send it to your attorney or bring it to them as soon as you can.

George M. Wolfe is a Columbus, Ohio criminal defense attorney with over 20 years of experience handling cases in more than 30 counties and across several states. He is your respected, trusted choice when you need an experienced attorney to help you build the best defense against a domestic violence charge. Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation at (614) 263-5297 or fill out our online form.