False Reporting and False Accusations of Domestic Violence

Some people say that domestic violence is a crime without witnesses.  Often times the only witnesses are the people involved.  Sometimes minor children are witnesses.  Since domestic violence most often takes place without the presence of witnesses, it is a charge that is easily abused.  False reporting of domestic abuse in epidemic in Florida.

Once a false report is made, even if the complainant doesn't follow through, these cases are hard to stop and can have devastating personal and legal consequences.

False reporting and false accusations of domestic violence and abuse can occur when

• there is a contentious divorce and one spouse is seeking to gain an advantage
• couples are having an argument and call in the police in order to threaten, intimidate the other person or  just "cool things down"

In the later case, the hot-headed parties are separated during the law enforcement officer's investigation, so that both sides can tell their stories.  If one party refuses to tell their side of the story and the other person tells about being hit, slapped, pushed, or shoved, (and forgets to reveal that they threw the first blow), then the first party is considered the "primary aggressor" and charged with domestic violence.  As a result, the wrong person, who was acting in self-defense, could be charged with domestic violence. 

Face it, when the police arrive on the scene, they have to make a judgment call.  Often times because of the emotional intensity of the situation, mistakes can be made. People lie or omit information, which can lead to an arrest.  Unfortunately, stereotypes prevail. If there's a man and a woman at the scene, police will be more likely to suspect and arrest the man.

This is why you need an experienced Florida domestic violence lawyer, who will thoroughly investigate your case, advise you as to you options and help you defend yourself against false accusations of domestic abuse.

At Joffe and Joffe, PA, our attorneys have handled dozens of domestic violence cases. The vast majority of those cases did NOT result in a guilty verdict.

Call 954-723-0007 today to speak to an experienced Florida domestic violence attorney. We can help you avoid conviction and future legal complications.