What Does Domestic Battery Mean in California?

Posted on: May 24th, 2022 by Dod Law

California has stringent laws regarding domestic battery, which means that these charges can be life-altering if convicted. If you have been accused of domestic battery in California, you need skilled legal representation quickly as the impact can be widespread, affecting everything from your job to your housing status. Dod Law is committed to protecting the interests and rights of our clients at all costs when a domestic battery accusation has been rendered. 

Attorney Dod is an exemplary California domestic violence lawyer with a reputation for advocating for every client whom charges of this type have blindsided. Knowing what domestic battery means in California and why it is essential to link up with the right attorney is a critical first step in addressing this issue. 

What Is Domestic Battery in California? 

Domestic battery in California is characterized by any willful and unlawful touching that is harmful or offensive against an intimate partner. This may include a current or former spouse/fiance, a current or former domestic partner, the person with whom you share a child or someone with whom you have had a dating relationship.

Even if the victim was not injured, the act simply has to have been perpetuated as a domestic battery crime. An example of this would be you and an intimate partner are in the throes of an argument, and you reach out to grab them by the wrist to restrain them. Even if they were not injured when you grabbed them, the act is enough to generate a domestic battery charge against you. 

One of the pertinent elements of this charge is that the act in question has to be willful, which means that you had to have engaged in the action willfully to cause injury or break the law.

What Are the Penalties for Domestic Battery in California?

Domestic battery is typically classified as a misdemeanor unless the action resulted in serious bodily injury. In California, a domestic battery conviction carries a sentence of up to one year in jail, a $2,000 fine, and/or probation. Typically included in probation parameters is one year’s participation in a batterer’s treatment program. 

Depending on the circumstances of the battery, penalties may also include some form of financial compensation to the victim to help with expenses resulting from the offense. An example of such an expense might be trauma counseling to help cope with the events of the incident. This is also a deportable crime under U.S. immigration law for those who are not U.S. citizens. 

An order of protection (also known as a restraining order) may also be issued against you in domestic battery cases. This prevents you from contacting the victim, even if the victim does not ask for nor want such an order. 

A California Criminal Defense Lawyer May Be Able to Help With Your Case

Understanding what domestic battery means in California and your options to combat it are critical to an effective defense strategy in such cases. These charges can be impactful in almost every area of your life, so successfully fighting them is vital. Dod Law has cultivated effective criminal defense strategies in this practice area that have helped our clients overcome domestic battery charges. We work to preserve your rights in every way possible so that you don’t end up being adversely affected by domestic battery charges that don’t reflect the facts of the situation. 

Learn more with a free case review. Call us at (619) 814-5110 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation today.