In Washington state, virtually any criminal act against a ‘family/household member’ against another ‘family or household member’ is considered ‘domestic violence‘. Five primary types of abusive behaviors include (1) Physical violence; (2) Emotional abuse; (3) Economic control; (4) Neglect, and (5) Sexual assault. Washington law requires that any law enforcement agent (‘LEA‘) who responds to domestic violence must make an arrest if they believe that either an assault or some other serious domestic violence incident took place within the past four hours. The arrest is mandatory, not discretionary. If both were physical with one another, the LEA will have to decide which one they believe to be the ‘primary aggressor’. In short, if 911 is called in a domestic violence situation, and an LEA comes in contact with the parties within a four hour period of the call, someone must – and will – be arrested and taken to jail. That is a fact, not hyperbole. Washington State law also mandates that LEA’s arrest people that violate Civil Protection and/or No Contact Orders. Lastly, once an arrest has been made it is essentially a ‘rubber stamp’ that charges will be filed by the prosecutor, and a case will be commenced in the criminal justice system. Rarely do prosecutors elect not to pursue charges once a domestic violence arrest has been made by an LEA, even if the arrest was mandatory, not discretionary.
If you or a loved one is in a bind as a result of a domestic violence charge, immediately contact a Seattle Domestic Violence Attorney. A Domestic Violence lawyer is not going to judge you, and understands that everyone makes mistakes. Hiring a Seattle Domestic Violence Lawyer to help can – at a minimum – reduce penalties, and can help direct people on how to best deal with their domestic violence charge, and many times even get them dismissed. So it should go without saying that someone cited for a DV misdemeanor or felony should hire a qualified Seattle Domestic Violence Lawyer as soon as possible. Domestic Violence charges can cause havoc on a person’s personal and professional life. Anyone charged with a domestic violence related crime in Washington State should immediately seek the assistance of a seasoned Seattle Domestic Violence Lawyer like SQ Attorneys. SQ Attorneys can be reached by calling (425) 359-3791 or (206) 441-0900.
