Domestic Violence Lawyers Los Angeles
Expert Defense Against False Accusations | Protecting Your Rights, Reputation, and Family
Domestic Violence Accusations Can Destroy Your Life – Fight Back Now
Being accused of domestic violence is one of the most frightening and devastating experiences anyone can face. In an instant, your entire life turns upside down. You’re arrested and thrown in jail. A restraining order forces you out of your home. You’re separated from your children. Your reputation is destroyed before you even step into a courtroom. Friends, family, and coworkers look at you differently. Your career hangs in the balance. And the worst part? You may be completely innocent.
At LibertyBell Law Group, our domestic violence defense lawyers in Los Angeles understand what you’re going through because we’ve represented thousands of clients falsely accused of domestic violence throughout Southern California. We know that domestic violence allegations are often exaggerated, manipulated, or completely fabricated during emotional breakups, bitter divorces, and child custody battles. We know how to expose false accusations, challenge unreliable evidence, and protect your rights when everything seems stacked against you.
⚠️ THE IMMEDIATE THREATS YOU FACE
When accused of domestic violence, you’re facing immediate and long-term consequences that begin before you’re even convicted:
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- Emergency Protective Order (EPO): Issued immediately by police, forcing you out of your home for 5-7 days
- Temporary Restraining Order (TRO): The alleged victim can get a TRO within hours, keeping you away for weeks
- Loss of Child Custody: You may be prohibited from seeing your children without supervision
- Jail Without Bail: Judges often set high bail or no bail in domestic violence cases
- Firearm Prohibition: You must immediately surrender all guns and cannot possess firearms
- Job Loss: Arrest records are public, and many employers terminate employees arrested for domestic violence
- Immigration Consequences: Non-citizens face deportation for domestic violence convictions
Don’t wait. Call LibertyBell Law Group NOW at (855) 529-7761. Every hour counts when fighting domestic violence charges.
Understanding Domestic Violence Laws in California
California takes domestic violence allegations extremely seriously. Law enforcement and prosecutors operate under a “must arrest” and “no drop” policy, meaning if police respond to a domestic violence call, someone is getting arrested – even without visible injuries, even if the alleged victim doesn’t want to press charges, even if the story doesn’t make sense. Once arrested, prosecutors pursue charges aggressively, often refusing to drop cases even when alleged victims recant their stories.
The Main Domestic Violence Charges You May Face
Penal Code 243(e)(1) – Domestic Battery
The Charge: Any willful and unlawful touching of an intimate partner in a harmful or offensive manner, even without injury.
Penalties: Misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in county jail, $2,000 fine, mandatory 52-week batterer’s program, restraining order, probation with strict conditions.
Examples: Pushing, shoving, grabbing, slapping, or any unwanted touching during an argument. No injury is required.
Penal Code 273.5 – Corporal Injury to Spouse/Cohabitant
The Charge: Willfully inflicting a physical injury resulting in a traumatic condition upon an intimate partner.
Penalties: Felony or misdemeanor (wobbler offense) punishable by 2-4 years in state prison (felony) or up to 1 year in jail (misdemeanor), $6,000 fine, mandatory batterer’s program, restitution, restraining order.
Examples: Any injury that leaves a mark, bruise, cut, or any trauma. This includes injuries from defensive actions.
Penal Code 273d – Child Abuse
The Charge: Willfully inflicting cruel or inhuman corporal punishment or injury upon a child.
Penalties: Felony or misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 years in state prison, $6,000 fine, loss of custody, CPS involvement, strike on your record if great bodily injury.
Examples: Disciplining a child that results in injury, bruising, or marks beyond reasonable parenting. Often charged alongside domestic violence.
Penal Code 273a – Child Endangerment
The Charge: Willfully causing or permitting a child to suffer unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering, or endangering their health.
Penalties: Felony or misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 years in prison (felony with great bodily harm), $10,000 fine, loss of custody rights.
Examples: Domestic violence in the presence of children, leaving children in dangerous situations, driving under the influence with children in vehicle.
Penal Code 422 – Criminal Threats
The Charge: Threatening to kill or seriously harm someone in a way that causes them to fear for their safety.
Penalties: Felony or misdemeanor punishable by up to 3 years in prison, considered a “strike” under Three Strikes Law if felony.
Examples: “I’m going to kill you,” “I’ll make you disappear,” or any threat that causes reasonable fear. Often charged with domestic violence even without physical contact.
Penal Code 646.9 – Stalking
The Charge: Willfully and maliciously harassing or following someone and making credible threats causing reasonable fear.
Penalties: Felony or misdemeanor punishable by up to 5 years in prison, restraining order, mandatory counseling.
Examples: Repeatedly contacting an ex-partner, following them, showing up at their work or home uninvited. Often weaponized in breakups.
Penal Code 368 – Elder Abuse
The Charge: Inflicting physical or mental suffering on anyone 65 years or older.
Penalties: Felony or misdemeanor punishable by 2-4 years in prison, enhanced penalties if great bodily injury, mandatory restitution.
Examples: Physical altercations with elderly parents or relatives, financial exploitation, neglect.
Penal Code 166 – Violating Restraining Order
The Charge: Willfully violating the terms of a protective order or restraining order.
Penalties: Misdemeanor or felony punishable by up to 3 years in prison, automatic bail increase, additional restraining order violations stack penalties.
Examples: Contacting the protected person, going to prohibited locations, possessing firearms while under restraining order.
The Devastating Consequences of Domestic Violence Convictions
What a Domestic Violence Conviction Means for Your Life
Criminal Penalties
- Jail or Prison Time: Misdemeanors carry up to 1 year in jail; felonies carry 2-4 years in state prison or more
- Substantial Fines: $2,000-$6,000 in fines plus penalty assessments that triple the total cost
- Mandatory Batterer’s Program: 52-week (one year) domestic violence classes costing $3,000-$5,000
- Probation: 3-5 years with strict conditions including no contact with victim, warrantless searches, electronic monitoring
- Restitution: Pay victim’s medical bills, therapy costs, lost wages, property damage – often tens of thousands of dollars
Loss of Fundamental Rights
- Firearm Prohibition: Lifetime ban on owning or possessing any firearms or ammunition (federal and state law)
- Voting Rights: Felony convictions result in loss of voting rights while incarcerated and on parole
- Professional Licenses: Doctors, nurses, lawyers, teachers, realtors, and other licensed professionals face license suspension or revocation
- Military Service: Disqualification from military service or dishonorable discharge for active military members
Family and Personal Consequences
- Loss of Child Custody: Family courts presume that granting custody to a domestic violence offender is detrimental to children. You may lose custody or be limited to supervised visitation
- Permanent Restraining Orders: 3-10 year restraining orders keeping you away from your own home, children, and family
- Divorce Disadvantage: Domestic violence convictions significantly impact divorce settlements, property division, and spousal support
- Destruction of Relationships: Friends and family often distance themselves; your reputation is permanently damaged
Immigration Consequences
- Deportation: Domestic violence is a deportable offense for non-citizens, including green card holders
- Inadmissibility: Conviction makes you inadmissible for green card applications, visa renewals, or naturalization
- No Waivers: Immigration judges have limited discretion to waive domestic violence grounds for removal
Employment and Housing
- Job Loss: Many employers terminate employees arrested or convicted of domestic violence, especially in education, healthcare, government, or positions requiring professional licenses
- Future Employment: Background checks reveal domestic violence convictions, making employment difficult
- Housing Denial: Landlords routinely deny housing applications from people with domestic violence convictions
- Security Clearances: Loss of security clearances for government contractors and military
💡 Expert Tip #1: The “No Drop” Policy Makes Early Defense Critical
California prosecutors operate under a “no drop” policy for domestic violence cases. This means once you’re arrested, the decision to prosecute is NOT up to the alleged victim – even if they recant, refuse to testify, or beg prosecutors to drop charges, the case proceeds. Prosecutors claim they’re protecting victims from being pressured to drop charges, but this policy means innocent people get prosecuted even when alleged victims admit they lied.
This is why immediate legal representation is crucial. At LibertyBell Law Group, we intervene early – before charges are filed if possible – to present evidence of false accusations, lack of injuries, inconsistent statements, and motive to lie. Early intervention has prevented charges from being filed in hundreds of cases. Call us at (855) 529-7761 right now.
Why Domestic Violence Allegations Are Often False or Exaggerated
After representing thousands of domestic violence defendants, our lawyers at LibertyBell Law Group can tell you with certainty: false domestic violence accusations are extremely common. In fact, we estimate that 30-50% of domestic violence allegations are either completely fabricated or grossly exaggerated. Here’s why:
Common Motivations for False Domestic Violence Accusations
1. Divorce and Child Custody Battles
This is the most common scenario we see. During divorce proceedings, one spouse falsely accuses the other of domestic violence to gain tactical advantages. A domestic violence accusation immediately gets the accused spouse removed from the home through an emergency restraining order. It gives the accuser a significant advantage in custody hearings, as courts are extremely cautious about awarding custody to alleged abusers. It can affect property division and spousal support. Some family law attorneys even advise clients to “get a restraining order” as a divorce strategy – it’s become a nuclear weapon in family court.
❌ MYTH
“If there’s a restraining order, domestic violence must have occurred.”
✓ REALITY
Restraining orders are issued based on one-sided allegations without any investigation. The accused doesn’t even attend the initial hearing. Judges issue temporary restraining orders in over 90% of requests because the standard is extremely low – the alleged victim just has to claim fear. No proof required.
2. Revenge and Retaliation
Scorned ex-partners frequently weaponize domestic violence allegations as revenge. Common scenarios include:
- Finding out about infidelity or a new relationship
- Being dumped and wanting to hurt the person who left them
- Anger over financial disputes or property division
- Retaliation for the accused exposing their infidelity or wrongdoing
- General vindictiveness during bitter breakups
We’ve handled countless cases where alleged victims texted our clients loving messages hours after the alleged “assault,” only to file police reports days later after a new argument erupted.
3. Deflection and Self-Defense Scenarios
In many domestic violence cases, both parties were physical, but only one gets arrested – usually the man, regardless of who the actual aggressor was. We see situations where:
- The alleged victim was the aggressor, and our client defended themselves
- Both parties were pushing/shoving, but only one called police first
- The alleged victim inflicted their own injuries or exaggerated minor injuries
- The alleged victim called police to avoid being arrested themselves
4. Mental Health and Substance Abuse Issues
Alleged victims with mental health conditions or substance abuse problems sometimes make false accusations due to:
- Paranoid delusions or delusional disorders causing false beliefs of victimization
- Borderline personality disorder leading to emotional volatility and false accusations during perceived abandonment
- Manic episodes causing irrational behavior and false claims
- Drug
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