If you find yourself arrested for domestic violence and all you did was have a vigorous argument, you are not alone. If the police get called to a domestic disturbance of any kind, they generally are going to take one or both persons to jail. A conviction for domestic violence hurts employment opportunities, destroys your chances for child custody and will cause you to forever lose your right to possess or purchase a firearm. We have not even discussed the actual penalties. You need the help of good attorneys and at Aleck & Jenkins we can help.

Michigan law requires that you have a "special" relationship with another individual to be considered "domestic" in nature. A special relationship between assailant and victim is defined as spouse, former spouse, resident, former resident, or they have a child in common.

Abuse can be physical, emotional, or sexual. Abuse is about one person controlling another. It's a pattern of behavior and many people don't think of themselves as being "battered" because they haven't been physically injured.

If charged with domestic violence, the lowest penalties (which increase for multiple convictions or more serious conduct) are:

Up to 93 days in jail
Up to $500 court fine
Mandatory counseling
Community service
Up to 2 years probation