Domestic Violence Crimes in Sarasota
When couples get into an argument, it sometimes escalates into a push or a shove. When the police are called out, they might take a “someone-is-going-to-jail” approach.
Although law enforcement officers in Sarasota County, FL, are trained to arrest the “primary aggressor,” sometimes both parties get arrested. Understanding what happened during the argument is complicated. As a result, officers might mistakenly arrest the wrong person based on a false or exaggerated accusation.
In some cases, no one should be arrested. Even when the alleged victim begs the police not to make an arrest, their loved one might be arrested and carted off to jail.
The arrest report in Sarasota County, FL, lists the offense as “Battery: Touch or Strike” for either domestic violence or dating violence. Anyone arrested for a domestic violence offense, even a misdemeanor battery offense, is not permitted to immediately bond out of jail. Instead, they must attend first appearance so the court can consider imposing a “no contact” provision.
Attorney for Domestic Violence Crimes in Sarasota
If you or a loved one was arrested for domestic violence battery for touching or striking another person involved in a domestic or dating relationship, then contact the criminal defense attorneys at Sammis Law Firm.
We represent both men and women in gay or straight relationships. When it comes to domestic violence, we’ve seen it all.
Whether you are calling about a restraining order for protection from dating or domestic violence, contact criminal defense attorneys for Sarasota County, FL.
We aim to get the charges dropped quickly so that the arrest record can be sealed or expunged. Contact our criminal defense attorneys in Sarasota County, FL, to learn more.
Call 813-250-0500.
Avoiding the Batterer’s Intervention Programs in Sarasota County, FL
The courts get federal grant money for domestic violence cases. Part of that funding requires ordering people to complete a twenty-six (26) week Certified Batterer’s Intervention Program.
The judge might order you to attend a Batterer’s Intervention Program (BIP) if you are accused of a crime of domestic violence or as part of an injunction for protection against violence.
If you hire a criminal defense attorney, your attorney will fight to get the charges dropped without requiring you to complete the program for batterer’s intervention which is time-consuming, expensive, and unwilling to accommodate your schedule.
As a result, people miss a class and then get thrown out of the program. A private attorney can help you find a better alternative to a batterer’s intervention program so that you can complete counseling faster and cheaper. After private counseling, your attorney can request that the charges be dropped or set the case for trial.
The best results require extraordinary efforts at each stage of the case. Call us to find out why we fight for an outright dismissal of the charges so they can be dropped on the merits.
Sarasota County has at least eight (8) Certified Batterer’s Intervention Programs (BIP) in the county, including:
- Behavior Management Services, Inc.;
- Domestic Abuse Intervention Project;
- Fisher Counseling & Mediation Services, Inc.;
- Life Counseling;
- Mental Health Counseling Services, Inc.;
- Step of Faith Counseling; and
- Tri-County Counseling.
In the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, programs for batterer’s intervention are offered in Sarasota, Bradenton, Ft. Myers, Englewood, Arcadia, North Port, and Osprey, FL.
Law Enforcement Agencies in Sarasota County, FL
Each law enforcement agency in Sarasota County, FL, has standard operating procedures for investigating domestic violence allegations. Those law enforcement agencies include:
Many of these agencies have special resources for victims of domestic violence. For example, the Sarasota Police Department has a Victim Advocate Program (VAP) focused on a crisis intervention-based approach to helping victims and witnesses. The VAP provides assistance and resources.
Additional Resources
Domestic Violence Divisions in Sarasota – Visit the 12th Judicial Circuit to learn more about the domestic violence divisions that decide cases involving injunctions for protection from domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence, repeat violence or elder exploitation.
Domestic Violence Protective Restraining Orders – Visit the website of the clerk of court in Sarasota County, FL, to learn more about protective orders (restraining orders) to prevent domestic violence. Domestic violence includes any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or the threat of violence to the petitioner, including false imprisonment, kidnapping, aggravated stalking, stalking, sexual battery, sexual assault, aggravated battery, battery, aggravated assault, or assault.
This article was last updated on Wednesday, July 17, 2024.
