Getting charged with domestic violence is awful. The prospect of it on your record is worse. Our clients consistently worry about it costing them their jobs or opportunities in the future.
Always remember you can give yourself hope, if you’ll just do something—like enlist an experienced criminal defense attorney you trust.
Speaking of hope, even though the legislature toughened criminal domestic violence penalties, they gave suspects options to avoid conviction and even wipe the slate clean. If you’re charged with criminal domestic violence, 3rd degree, that can include pre-trial intervention.
If PTI is not an option- maybe because you're charged with domestic violence in the first or second degree, there may be another: the solicitor's intervention program, also called SIP.
Here’s how the solicitor's intervention program works.
The Program In General
Basically, it's a 26-week program that includes an anger management program, which involves weekly counseling sessions about handling frustration and other things, like managing family relationships.
You may have other conditions set by the state or your counselor. And you’ve got to keep the conditions of your bail order.
Believe it or not, we’ve actually gotten some good reviews about it over the years from our clients.
You’ll want to know about the cost. It’s about $600, which you pay over time. And the cost can vary, depending on the specifics the program assigns you. But it's a small price to pay considering the alternatives of hefty fines or incarceration.
Learn more about specific aspects of the solicitor intervention program you might have to complete, and how much it costs.
The Huge Benefit
On completion, your charges are dismissed and removed from your criminal record. Simple, but huge. YUUUGE!
The Hard Part
To get in, you’ve got to get the prosecutor, officer, and complainant to agree to it. Often, all three start off against you. Even if the domestic violence complainant forgives you, you’ve still got to convince the people whose job success is measured by the convictions they get.
You Can’t Expect To Get It On Your Own
You may be dealing with a three-headed monster—an angry complainant who got you charged, the officer who arrested you, and a prosecutor who’s paid to get convictions. Complainants are protected by the law and social sympathy. Officers and prosecutors are trained law enforcement professionals. And the prosecutor is the state’s lawyer.
In sum, you’re surrounded by professionals. Don’t risk an amateur mistake that could irreparably harm your future. It won’t cost a thing to meet with us to strategize a defense, including how to get you qualified for programs like this. For more about this meeting, see this quick video.
Or if you have questions you just need answered now, fill out our Get Help Now Form for a response from an experienced attorney.
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