Orlando Police are committed to reducing domestic violence committed by adults living with their victims, either as spouses, partners, or other members of the household. Each year, officers respond to about 3,000 calls. Fortunately, after launching “It Takes Courage” to educate the community about domestic violence, the number of offenses reported is dropping.
Officers responding to a call that you are abusing someone in your household must have probable cause to arrest you. Orlando is the only city in Central Florida with a specially trained Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT) that uses advanced techniques to identify aggressors and assess the safety concerns of alleged victims. If you find yourself face to face with this team and accused of domestic violence, be courteous and do not incriminate yourself. Orlando domestic violence investigations do not mean you will be arrested or charged, but if you are, our experienced domestic violence attorneys are standing by to help you.
Overwhelmingly, the alleged victim of domestic violence or someone in the household calls 9-1-1 during a domestic dispute. The operator will obtain valuable information from the caller, including the injured party’s name, location, information about the altercation, and a description of the suspect.
The operator is then instructed not to ask the alleged victim if they want to prosecute, but upon request, the 9-1-1 tape will be turned over to the Orange County State Attorney’s Office as evidence used to build a criminal case. Patrol officers are dispatched to further investigate an Orlando domestic violence call.
When patrol officers arrive at the scene, they will enter when permitted or if they believe someone is in immediate danger. They will listen to spontaneous statements, look for weapons, and observe any injuries to either party. Those involved will be interviewed separately about what happened. Other actions police may take include:
Other participants cannot stop officers from arresting one party should they find probable cause to do so. Ultimately, the safety of the household is Orlando law enforcement’s primary goal during domestic abuse investigations.
According to Florida Statutes § 741.283, a conviction for domestic violence with bodily harm results in a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 days in jail for a first offense, 15 days for a second, and 20 days for a third. If a child 15 or younger is present for the altercation, incarceration increases to 15, 20, and 30 days, respectively.
Domestic violence can also be charged as an assault or aggravated assault. An assault occurs when the accuser is put in fear of injurious violence, and the perpetrator has the means to carry out violence. Those convicted can spend up to a year in jail for this second-degree misdemeanor. Furthermore, an aggravated assault is an assault using a weapon, and you can spend up to five years in prison upon conviction.
Other charges, such as stalking or kidnapping, may also be brought. If you are arrested after an Orlando domestic abuse investigation, our attorneys could put their knowledge to use and build a strong defense on your behalf.
If you are accused of a crime in which your freedom can be taken away, you are entitled to the defense of an attorney. Our attorneys could use both the prosecutor’s and our own evidence to instill reasonable doubt in the jury or prove that some assertions about your guilt are not true. You may have an alibi, have acted in self-defense, or maybe it was not you who harmed your partner at all.
When things get out of hand and lead to Orlando domestic violence investigations, call The Umansky Law Firm’s experienced criminal defense lawyers who know what to do.
The Umansky Law Firm Criminal Defense & Injury Attorneys
