Somerset Domestic Violence Attorneys Defending Against Criminal Charges
Being accused of domestic violence is frightening and stressful. You may be ordered out of your home within hours, before you get to tell your side. Our friendly, local attorneys push back hard when your future is on the line.
At the The Law Office of Jeremy A. Bartley, PSC, both of our criminal defense lawyers are former prosecutors who know how Pulaski County and other Kentucky courts handle domestic violence allegations.
What Counts As Domestic Violence In Kentucky?
Under Kentucky law, domestic violence includes physical injury, strangulation, sexual abuse, assault, stalking or making someone afraid of being hurt. It applies between family members, such as spouses, former spouses, parents, children, stepchildren, grandparents and grandchildren. It also covers members of an unmarried couple who share a child or live or once lived together.
Arrests often start small. Common scenarios include:
- Escalating arguments: A neighbor hears shouting and calls 911.
- Visible injuries: Officers notice a scratch and make an arrest.
- Threats or stalking: Angry texts or repeated unwanted contact can support a charge.
- Mutual accusations: Each person blames the other, and officers arrest both.
Police can arrest you even if the alleged victim declines to press charges, because the prosecutor decides.
How Emergency Protective Orders And Domestic Violence Orders Work
An emergency protective order is a temporary order a judge can issue before you know about it. It lasts until a hearing, usually within 14 days, where the judge decides whether to enter a domestic violence order (DVO) lasting up to three years.
Orders can bar contact, require you to leave a shared home, grant temporary custody and restrict gun possession. You can contest the order at the hearing or ask to modify it later. Violating any order is a new criminal charge.
Get Answers About Your Domestic Violence Case
A DVO can affect your home, your children and your gun rights. Call 606-232-8609 or send us a message to talk with a domestic violence lawyer. We represent clients throughout Pulaski County and surrounding counties.