Domestic Violence Defense Lawyers: Peace Order Violations
Serving Rockville, Gaithersburg, Bethesda and all of Maryland
In Maryland, the law allows victims of crimes to obtain a type of restraining order against individuals who have threatened or carried out harm against them. There are two types of restraining orders under Maryland law. Protective orders are reserved for domestic cases, in which the parties have some sort of intimate or familial relationship. In all other cases, the alleged victim must obtain a peace order.
It’s quite common for police and prosecutors to urge crime victims to petition the court for a peace order. Because peace orders are fairly easy to obtain, many people pursue them. The problem is that this leaves the defendant fighting on two fronts. First, you must defend yourself against criminal charges. Now, you must also fight back against a peace order that further threatens your liberty and personal reputation. In fact, a peace order can actually stay in place even after the prosecutor has dismissed or dropped the criminal charges against you.
If the court has issued a peace order against you, or you have been accused of violating an existing peace order, it’s important to get an aggressive criminal defense lawyer on your side as soon as possible. At the Law Office of Leon Geller, we help people accused of crimes get justice and fair results. If you need help with an impending or existing peace order, we want to hear from you.
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When Do Courts Issue Peace Orders?
Courts in Maryland have wide discretion when it comes to issuing peace orders. You don’t necessarily have to be charged with a crime to have a peace order issued against you, however, many peace order cases involve a criminal prosecution. Generally, courts issue peace orders in cases involving:
Unlike protective orders, peace orders require the alleged victim to convince the court that the accused has not only threatened or caused serious bodily harm, but that the accused will do so again unless the court issues a peace order.
Have You Been Charged with Violating a Peace Order?
Peace orders can be quite broad in scope, restricting you from venturing within a certain distance of the alleged victim. This can pose serious difficulties in cases where the victim and the accused live near each other, or in cases where they attend the same school or work for the same employer.
In other cases, a peace order is simply unfounded. When an individual initially petitions the court for a peace order, the accused doesn’t even have to be present while the court decides whether to grant a temporary order good for seven days. Without an opportunity to defend yourself, you could be saddled with a peace order that stops you from engaging in ordinary daily activities. Even worse, a peace order can affect your job prospects, damage your reputation in the community, and stop you from pursuing other opportunities. Having an experienced attorney on your side will enable you to fight the issuance of a final order or assist in negotiating favorable terms in the final order.
Get Help from a Maryland Peace Orders Violations Lawyer
Maryland Peace Orders are important and often necessary to protect someone who has been assaulted or subject to abuse. However, they are not always fair or warranted. There is no getting around that peace orders are often misused by people out to ruin an individual’s reputation or standing in the community.
If you have been notified of a pending peace order, or you have been charged with violating an existing peace order, you can’t afford to go without experienced criminal defense. Courts in Maryland take peace order violation cases very seriously. Contact the Law Office of Leon Geller today at 301-309-8001 to speak to domestic violence lawyers about your options and the next steps in your case.
