Steps in a Criminal Case
Buffalo Domestic Violence Attorneys
Experienced Lawyers Protecting Against Domestic Violence Charges
Put Our Former Prosecutors To Work For You
For many decades, New York domestic violence law required battered, financially dependent spouses to proactively file charges against the family’s breadwinner, creating an unreasonable and untenable situation that left many families unprotected.
This was obviously not in the best interest of New York families, so the state has more recently adopted a different approach, and as experienced Buffalo domestic violence attorneys, it is our belief that in this area, the pendulum has swung too far in the direction of an unreasonable definition of “family protection.”
For instance, when charges of domestic violence are filed, the accused is generally excluded from his or her family residence by an order of protection. This means that whatever the cause of the initial conflict – which may not have involved violence at all, and which may have promptly blown over – the family may be forced to maintain two residences for several months until the order of protection is removed.
The accused may not have access to his or her children during this time, which can cause considerable hardship and additional financial burdens on the family.
At Friedman & Ranzenhofer, our Buffalo domestic violence attorneys know that allegations of domestic violence are often used for leverage in divorces, custody battles, or even for effect during an argument. Often, the spouse who made the allegation had no idea what the effects would be, or that it would create such a distressing situation for the family, the children, and the finances.
Fighting For You & Your Family
When our attorneys meet with clients who are dealing with domestic violence charges, they are often most interested in getting the order of protection removed. And we’ve found that in many cases, the spouse who initially made the complaint is just as focused on that goal. Because of the state’s interest in family protection – and prosecutors’ desires to be seen as effective – it can be difficult to get the courts to let go of a case they’ve filed. We work with you to determine what your family’s immediate needs are, and then we get to work, deciding how best to confront your situation.
When we were prosecutors, we saw how often charges of domestic violence were prosecuted even when the accuser had recanted, and sometimes even when no allegation had been made within the family at all. Until the law and the courts catch up with the problems of New York’s current family protection strategy, the Buffalo domestic violence attorneys at Friedman & Ranzenhofer are your best bet for pushing back against charges of assault, harassment, menacing, and stalking in Buffalo.
If you or a loved one has been charged with domestic violence or abuse, contact the experienced Buffalo domestic violence attorneys at Friedman & Ranzenhofer to defend you from these serious allegations.