In Illinois, domestic battery charges are taken very seriously. Just a first time conviction can result in a number of consequences. Possible jail time, a fine, and a criminal record are a few of the more obvious consequences of a domestic battery conviction. However, a conviction can also cause you problems in a child custody battle or when you apply for certain types of employment. Anyone who is facing criminal domestic battery charges needs to seek the help of an experienced criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible.

Victim and Abuser Relations That Warrant Domestic Battery Charges

Domestic battery charges are reserved for alleged abusers and victims that are in a specific domestic relationship with one another. The abuser and the victim must be in a familial relationship or the two must be members of the same household. For instance, battery that occurs between two people in the following relationships constitutes domestic battery:

Domestic disputes occurbetween significant others and family members frequently in Illinois. Sometimes these get out of hand andrise to the level of domestic violence.

Under Illinois law, domestic violence generally involves acts of violence or threatening behavior between two people who share a domestic relationship, or used to share a domestic relationship. Domestic violence disputes arise between spouses, exes, significant others, family members who are related by blood or marriage, and people who share a living space, such as roommates.

Even the most minor physical contact can be construed as a battery. If you are concerned that someone is likely to make a false claim of domestic violence against you, you should avoid making physical contact with that person at all costs. But just because you deliberately refrain from physical contact does not mean that someone will not make an attack on you.

The Illinois courts and law enforcement do not take kindly to those who are accused of committing domestic battery. Causing bodily harm to a family or household member, or insulting, provoking, or threatening them, is a serious criminal matter in Illinois. When a person is accused of domestic battery, it is critically important that they fight the charges that are lodged against them because even a first-time conviction carries severe and long-lasting consequences. An experienced criminal defense attorney can help.

Below are three reasons why you need to fight your domestic battery charges.

1. A domestic battery conviction means you will have a criminal record. Even if your fight with a family or household member was just a minor dispute that got out of hand, the court will look at the altercation as a serious crime. Even a first-time offense for domestic battery is typically a misdemeanor level offense. But a domestic battery charge can be upgraded to a felony-level offense in certain situations, such as when a protection order was violated, when you have a record of prior domestic battery convictions, or when other aggravating factors were involved.
2. A domestic battery conviction generally cannot be sealed or expunged from your criminal record. Once you have been convicted of a criminal battery against a family or household member, as a general rule, the conviction will go on your criminal record, and it cannot be expunged or sealed under Illinois law. This means that your domestic battery conviction will follow you for many years to come. There are very limited circumstances in which a domestic battery conviction may be expunged. An experienced criminal defense attorney can help you determine if you may be eligible.
3. A domestic battery conviction has unintended consequences. The effect of a domestic battery conviction is far-reaching. For instance:
   • You can lose your right to own or carry a firearm;
   • You could lose out on job opportunities due to the fact an employer can view your criminal record;
   • You could be denied an apartment or a credit card;
   • You could lose your child visitation privileges, or have restrictions placed on your visitation rights.

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Many Illinois families and couples find themselves in disagreements. They might yell at each other, act aggressively, or maybe behave in a crazy manner. Sometimes things get out of control and the police are called. One of the people involved in the fight might make the call, or a concerned neighbor could do it. When the police are called to investigate an alleged domestic dispute, they can make an arrest if they believe that a crime, such as domestic abuse, has been committed. Because the situation is often tense when the police show up, and those involved in the fight are often emotional, things are said, exaggerations might be made, and the police might haul off one party, even though his or her actions during the fight did not really rise to the level of domestic violence.

False allegations of domestic violence are made all too frequently, and it can be a major inconvenience, and even a problem, for the accused abuser. As a criminal defendant charged with domestic violence, you are facing serious consequences if you are convicted. That is why it is so important to work with an experienced criminal defense lawyer who understands domestic violence defense to fight the charges that have been levied against you.

Acts That Constitutes Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is not always physical abuse. Sometimes domestic violence takes the form of emotional abuse, which is executed by the use of threats. Threats can take the form of words or gestures, and under Illinois law, the use of threats against a family or household member is illegal and victims can be protected from it. Threats are considered a form of harassment, because threats, such as threats of physical violence and threats confinement or restraint, are used to cause the victim emotional distress.

Orders of Protection

Victims of domestic violence can seek a protection order from the courts, which prohibit the alleged abuser from abusing them. In the case of alleged threats, the protection order will force the person making the threats to stop doing so.