In 2019, 57,018 incidents of domestic violence were reported to Michigan police. Many others went unreported. Domestic violence is a very serious issue that should not be taken lightly. It’s important to be informed about domestic violence, so that if you or your loved ones are ever tangled in a domestic violence situation you know the proper steps to take.
Here are some tips that most divorce attorneys will never tell you about domestic violence in the State of Michigan.
Arguments are normal in all relationships, but when things become heated and violence occurs, the majority of people have the urge to call the police to calm down the situation and maybe even resolve the issue.
In cases when the victim is in any kind of serious danger, the first thing to do is immediately contact 911, a local shelter, or a domestic violence prevention service, so that the victim can have a safety plan to leave the domestically violent situation.
Domestic violence has devastating effects on a person’s mental health and sense of self-worth so it is important to make sure a victim of domestic violence is taken away from that environment as quickly as possible. The US National Domestic Violence Hotline is (1-800-799-7233)
What Happens When the Police Get Involved?
When the police are called they will arrest the offender and charge them with domestic violence. In most instances this is a good thing that allows the victim to be safe. But in the case where the caller doesn’t want their spouse to be charged and put in jail, they will have a difficult time preventing that.
As soon as the police get involved you don’t have much control of what happens next. The police are not marriage counselors, they are about protecting and serving, they will come to your house and charge someone of domestic violence and take them away. Most people don’t realize that if a domestic violence call is made someone will most likely be arrested.
Many people think that if they themselves start the domestic violence case they should be able to stop it. That would be incorrect, in a domestic violence case you have no control whatsoever to get the case dismissed, instead the people of Michigan will be going against the defendant.
The court may even order a no contact order and the defendant cannot go back home and has to stay away from the victim and their children. The defendant may not be able to call or speak with you, and it may even impact their ability to work. It’s important to be 100% sure that you want the other person gone from your life before calling the police.
You need to be involved!
If you are not there to be involved the court can go ahead with the case without the victim, they already have enough evidence from the phone call and police report. But in most instances if the victim does not show up, the case will most likely unravel and not go forward. The prosecutor is not going to care more about your safety then yourself so the case will most likely be dismissed.
This does not mean that everything will be fine if you don’t show up to court. If the prosecutor forces you to come into court to testify it will cost a lot of money to hire an attorney and the process will be time consuming. Save yourself the hassle of getting the police involved and hiring an attorney. Remember to consider the following, and understand that if the police arrive at your house someone will likely be charged with domestic violence and sent to jail.
If you don’t want your spouse or significant other to go to jail and be charged with domestic violence you should think twice about calling the police. There are many alternatives to calling the police. Most times the spouse just wants the other person to get counseling and to talk to a professional, the police are not the correct professionals you should be calling. They will not solve your relationship problem, their job is to protect and serve.
The best solution to deescalate a situation or conflict is to sit the other person down and communicate with them. You can also give the other person some space to cool off and collect their thoughts. When both pirates are upset things will only get worse. If things do get out of hand and there are major issues that cross the line, call the police immediately.
Conclusion
If the police are called for a domestic violence matter there is not much that can be done to stop the process. When a domestic violence case is created in Michigan it is very hard to drop the case. If the police ever come to your doorsteps and a domestic violence case is made remember to contact our attorneys at Goldman and Associates.
At Goldman and Associates, our attorneys are experts in family law and they will thoroughly examine all aspects of your domestic violence matter. With the best lawyers in Michigan, Goldman and Associates takes each and every case very seriously and gives you the best possible outcome.
For more information on domestic violence in the State of Michigan check out the Goldman and Associates YouTube channel for more videos on everything relating to law in Michigan. Make sure to give our attorneys a call if you have any questions about domestic violence charges in Michigan.
Click the link to schedule a free case evaluation: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=17105687&appointmentType=18529428
For more information visit: https://www.akivagoldman.com/michigan-legal-blog/michigan-divorce-lawyer/
You can give us a call for a FREE phone consultation at (248) 588-3333
Resources:
https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2497/ncadv_michigan_fact_sheet_2020.pdf