Domestic Assault Lawyer in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Components of Domestic Assault in MN

Components of a domestic assault laws in Minnesota include:

• Action: The infliction of fear or actual bodily harm against someone through intentional means. Behavior or actions that can constitute domestic assault include violating orders of protections, assault, battery, murder, sexual misconduct, maliciously punishing a child, stalking, or preventing emergency intervention.
• Target: Domestic assault must involve harming someone who is a family or household member of the offender. People who fit into this category include spouses, ex-spouses, parents, children, blood relatives, current or former roommates, romantic partners, and people who share children together.
• Penalties: Domestic assault can be considered a misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, or a felony. The legal penalties upon conviction can include imprisonment up to 5 years and fines up to $10,000; lesser charges will likely include 364 days in jail and $1,000 in fines. Restitution could be ordered to be paid to the victim. The right to possess or use a firearm can also be restricted or removed.
• Escalating factors: Misdemeanor domestic assault can be increased to a felony based on a variety of escalating factors. Some of these factors include the young age of the victim, inclusion of a deadly weapon during the assault, extent of damage actually done, and priors of offender.

Minnesota Domestic Assault Penalties

The following are the penalties you may face for a domestic assault conviction in Minnesota:

• Domestic Assault: up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000
• Strangulation or Suffocation: up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000
• Second Offense: up to one year in jail and fine of up to $3,000
• Third or Subsequent Offense: up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000

Defense for Your Domestic Assault Case in MN

Having a conviction of domestic violence carries not only stiff penalties including jail time but also the loss of rights and privileges such as the right to possess a firearm, and in some states, voting privileges. Moreover, someone who is not a United States citizen may see his or her immigration status changed and deportation may occur. In many cases, the U.S. does not allow violent criminals to have or obtain visas.

If you have been accused of a crime related to domestic violence, you should acquire the help of a Minneapolis domestic assault attorney from Brockton D. Hunter, P.A. right away. The repercussions can be quite severe, and in spite of what you have heard or even seen on TV, there is little chance of your case being dropped.