Torrance Domestic Violence Defense Attorney

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence occurs when you abuse or threaten someone in a close relationship with you, such as a significant other, a former partner, cohabitant, child, stepchild, spouse, ex, or another family member. A domestic violence conviction can result in significant fines, time in jail, and a ruined reputation. The worst part is that the prosecutor won’t waste any time building a case against you. 

So the first thing you need to do is contact our Torrance domestic violence lawyers at Wallin & Klarich. We’ve helped clients avoid conviction for over 40 years. When you hire us to represent your case, we immediately begin building a powerful defense to get your domestic violence charges dropped. Call us today at (877) 466-5245 or (877) 4-NO-JAIL for your free consultation!

Cohabitation & Domestic Violence 

California defines cohabitants as two people living together for a substantial period who have formed a permanent relationship. The court reviews each case to determine cohabitation, including: 

• Whether a sexual relationship exists
• Shared bills or income
• Shared property or ownership
• Labels used, such as domestic partners, girlfriend, or boyfriend 
• Length and duration of the relationship 

Domestic Violence Charges in Torrance

Wallin & Klarich has represented a variety of domestic violence charges in Torrance, such as:

• Infliction of corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant – PC 273.5 – This crime is a wobbler, so the prosecutor can file misdemeanor or felony charges, depending on your criminal record and the accusations against you. For a conviction, the state must prove the following elements:

1. You physically injured your former or current spouse, cohabitant, or parent of your child.
2. You caused the injury intentionally. 
3. Your actions caused trauma, such as a wound. However, any injury is enough for conviction, regardless of whether it’s serious. 

• Domestic battery – PC 243(e)(1) – This crime is a misdemeanor. For a domestic battery conviction, the prosecution must prove that you:

1. You physically touched a person in a relationship with you on purpose. 
2. Your action caused harm or offense to the alleged victim. This includes any violent, rude, angry, or disrespectful action. 

Domestic Violence Sentencing | Penalties You’re Facing

You should consult with Wallin & Klarich immediately to help you fight domestic violence in Torrance. You don’t want to suffer the life-changing consequences of a domestic violence conviction. We can even negotiate with the prosecutor to get charges dropped or reduced, so you don’t have to worry about going to trial. To help you understand what you’re facing, we’ve outlined the penalties for domestic violence below.

Corporal Injury in Domestic Relations | PC 273.5

Your sentence for corporal injury to a spouse depends on many factors, including the specific crime and your criminal history. The court can increase your sentence for an assault, battery, domestic abuse, or sexual assault conviction within the past seven years. In addition to this, the extent of the victim’s injuries affects your sentence. Serious injuries lead to additional time behind bars. We’ve outlined the penalties for corporal injury below. 

• • Misdemeanor penalties for corporal injury PC 273.5
    • One-year jail sentence
    • Maximum fine of $6,000
    • Informal probation
    • Domestic violence restraining order forbidding contact between you and the victim for a maximum of 10 years. 
    • Community service 
    • Counseling
    •  52-week batterer’s program.
    • Restitution – Court-ordered payment for the victim’s medical expenses, counseling, or other costs resulting from the corporal injury. 
    • Loss of your right to bear arms 

• Felony penalties for corporal injury PC 273.5(a)

• • • Prison sentence for two, three, or four years 
    • Maximum fine of $6,000
    • Domestic violence restraining order against you 
    • Restitution 
    • Formal probation 
    • Batterer’s program for 52 weeks

• Felony penalties with prior convictions

• • • A maximum prison sentence of five years
    • Maximum fine of $10,000
    • Domestic violence restraining order
    • Restitution
    • Felony probation 
    • Batterer’s program for 52 weeks
    • Loss of your right to bear arms 

• Penalties for serious injury to victim PC 12202.7

• • An additional three, four, or five years in prison and other penalties for causing serious injury to the alleged victim 

Domestic Battery | PC 243(e)(1) 

Domestic battery is a misdemeanor in Torrance. However, many people do not realize the far-reaching consequences of a conviction. If the court finds you guilty, you face significant personal consequences and legal penalties for domestic battery, which include:

• One-year jail sentence 
•  Maximum fine of $2,000 
• Domestic violence restraining order
• Informal probation 
• Restitution 
• Batterer’s program for 52 weeks
• Loss of your right to bear arms 

Professional and Personal Consequences of Domestic Violence Conviction 

Any type of domestic violence conviction can turn your life upside down. On top of fines and jail time, you face a restraining order, which could cause custody issues and problems in your family relationships. It could also prevent you from returning to your home if you lived with the alleged victim. Furthermore, you could lose your job because of missed work. That’s not to mention the trouble your criminal record could cause. 

You don’t want to lose your livelihood,  time with your family, or anything else you hold dear due to a misunderstanding or false allegations.

With over 40 years of experience handling cases like yours, we’ve seen how quickly a simple argument can get blown out of proportion. We’ve helped many clients fight convictions. When you hire Wallin & Klarich, we’ll stand by your side from beginning to end. Call us today for your free consultation!

Possible Defenses Against Domestic Violence Charges

You should never just give in and plead guilty to domestic violence without consulting a skilled Torrance attorney. With 40+ years of experience, we understand the complexities of the law, and we can identify strong defense strategies where others fail to see one.

Even if you believe there is no way to avoid conviction, calling Wallin & Klarich today could mean the difference between time in jail and walking away with your freedom intact. Some effective defenses for domestic violence that we could use on your behalf include but are not limited to: 

Self-Defense

In California, a solid defense to domestic violence charges is self-defense. California law gives individuals the right to defend themselves and others from imminent danger. For example, your significant other holds a knife to your throat, and you kick them to get free. Since they have a visible injury, the police arrest you for domestic battery. 

However, your Wallin & Klarich lawyer would immediately dig into the alleged victim’s past for proof of a violent history. We must also show that you only used necessary or reasonable force. For example, the court would probably not consider your actions “reasonable” if you continued to kick the alleged victim after they were no longer a threat. 

As you can see, the wording and presentation of your defense are crucial to your success. Our domestic violence defense attorneys at Wallin & Klarich understand what works in the courtroom!

False Allegations

Alleged victims of domestic violence sometimes make false statements to get back at their ex or current partner. Sometimes they simply exaggerate after a heated argument causes emotions to run high. 

Many times spouses wonder how to get their partner’s domestic violence charges dropped. While the prosecution decides whether to pursue charges, a sworn statement from the partner can help get domestic violence charges dropped if they’re willing to admit to false or exaggerated accusations. 

No matter the alleged victim’s stance in your case, our Torrance attorneys will demonstrate the true motivation behind false accusations.

Accidental Contact

Accidents can lead to domestic violence charges. However, they don’t have to result in a conviction with our legal expertise. 

Our attorneys can argue for a dismissal of your charges if you did not intentionally injure the victim. We’ve presented this defense and helped many clients win their domestic violence cases. 

Take the first step toward getting your domestic violence charges dropped. Call our office today for your free consultation!

Hire A Top Domestic Violence Lawyer | How We Can Help You

You don’t settle for an average lawyer with your future at stake. Instead, you hire an experienced attorney with the knowledge to defend you against serious charges. At Wallin & Klarich, we believe everyone deserves excellent legal representation. Choosing the right defense lawyer for your domestic violence case requires careful consideration of many factors. Four key aspects quickly set skilled law firms apart from the rest:  

1. Commitment to clients
2. Integrity in action 
3. Legal expertise 
4. Community respect 

Our Commitment To You | The Wallin & Klarich Difference 

At Wallin & Klarich, we are committed to our clients. When you trust us with your case, we never take it lightly because we understand your life’s hanging in the balance. We set aside time to go over what to expect and any new developments in your case, so you don’t feel overwhelmed. Our attorneys treat you with integrity, starting with an honest, genuine conversation between us. 

We’re upfront with all our fees from the very beginning, and once we’ve had time to investigate your case thoroughly, we lay all your available options on the table. To ensure your questions and concerns never go unheard, we return your phone calls and emails within 24 hours and keep an on-call criminal defense lawyer for after-hours legal emergencies. Most importantly, we guarantee a judgment-free environment for you and your loved ones.

Wallin & Klarich | Unparalleled Legal Expertise

Our 40+ years of experience sets us apart from the crowd of defense lawyers. We’ve defended thousands of clients facing domestic violence charges with remarkable success. Some of our clients came to us with nowhere else to turn and no hope of winning their case. However, our background allowed us to spot strengths in their cases, which an attorney with less experience would’ve missed.

By tailoring our defense strategies to fit the specific details of your case, we increase your chance of success. We have the added advantage of knowing the techniques of local prosecutors and the personalities of judges in Torrance. Our passion for defending the unfairly accused is the driving force behind each of our attorneys at Wallin & Klarich. 

Discover how our experienced criminal defense attorneys can help you fight false accusations in Torrance, CA. Contact us today at (877) 4-NO-JAIL.

Respected & Recognized | Wallin & Klarich

The community recognizes the Wallin & Klarich name for our strong values and legal expertise. For over 40 years, we’ve built our powerful reputation by maintaining our integrity, valuing our relationships with clients, and consistently striving to redefine excellence. For more insight, check out our recent and past success in the courtroom. 

Our Notable Cases | Wallin & Klarich Newsworthy Legal Strategies

Many attorneys point to their experience or skill in defending clients charged with domestic violence, but our attorneys deliver positive results even in the most complex legal dilemmas. Over the past 40+ years, many of our legal battles have captured the media’s attention. Television, newspapers, and the digital world have covered some of our most notable moments. We encourage you to explore our newsworthy cases below to learn more about our law firm. 

Call Us Today

Call us today, toll-free at (877) 455-5245 for a free consultation with a highly-experienced domestic violence attorney. We have been representing people charged with domestic violence in Torrance for more than 40 years and would love to help you as well.

When you need us, we will be there.