You cannot afford to be complacent if accused of any crime. Yet, domestic violence accusations require particular urgency.
The reason is that many who genuinely suffer from it will never admit they do. Even if they are covered in bruises when the police turn up at the door, they make excuses, such as slipping and falling down the stairs.
The reason for this is fear. Many who perpetrate domestic violence have manipulated their partner for a long time. They have got them to a stage where the person feels worthless, believes they deserve everything that happens to them or that they cannot possibly survive without their partner. They are too afraid to tell the police the truth.
Hence for the safety of victims, the police and courts err on the side of caution. While that is good for those who suffer from domestic violence, it can cause massive problems for anyone falsely accused.
The police will probably arrest you
Let’s say the neighbors hear a disturbance and call the police. California law encourages officers called to a domestic violence scene to arrest someone. They are meant to arrest the one they suspect to be dominant in the situation. So, if you are 6 foot three, and your spouse is 5 feet nothing, do not be surprised if it is you that the police bundle into the car, even if your partner was the one doing all the attacking.
Courts can put protection orders in place quickly
People can make false accusations for all sorts of reasons. If your partner accuses you, they could ask the court for a protection order, banning you from coming near them. So if you share a home and have children, it could mean you cannot enter your place or see your kids.
Getting legal help will be crucial to deciding what to do next. The sooner you get it, the sooner you can try to stop the situation before it spirals out of control.