Domestic violence, which involves interpersonal violence between those who live together, who have a romantic relationship or who are family members, is relatively common in Ohio. Police departments around the state receive thousands of calls each year both from those directly experiencing domestic violence and from members of the community concerned about what they perceive to potentially be domestic violence.
Those accused of domestic violence or answering the door to police officers during the middle of an argument may worry about what happens next. Police officers generally handle Ohio domestic violence calls in specific ways.
They must evaluate each case carefully
Some domestic violence calls occur because someone wants to implicate their spouse as they prepare for a divorce. Others are the result of a neighbor misunderstanding a situation. There are also plenty of domestic violence calls made by someone who fears for their safety in earnest or those who want to intervene for the protection of someone in their community.
Police officers have to look at the situation carefully to determine whether it warrants arrest. The statements of the people involved in the situation, any prior record of police involvement and even signs of physical violence at a property or on someone’s person can determine how officers respond. More often than not, domestic violence calls do not result in prosecution.
In 2022, there were 30,199 reported incidents of domestic violence in Ohio that resulted in criminal charges against one of the parties involved. There were 2,739 cases that resulted in other charges against someone, and 33,717 domestic violence reports that did not result in criminal charges against anyone.
Can people defend against domestic violence charges successfully?
Even when officers reach the conclusion that someone may have committed an act of domestic violence, the person arrested still has many options for defending against those charges. From presenting evidence to substantiate claims that what officers witnessed was reactive abuse to challenging the legality of a search or arrest, there are many ways for people to successfully defend against Ohio domestic violence charges.
Reviewing the state’s evidence is often be a good starting point for those who hope to avoid a criminal conviction after accusations of domestic violence. Therefore, seeking legal guidance proactively is usually the best first course of action for someone facing charges.