Domestic violence happens every day in Maryland, and the negative effects it has on families and individuals is devastating. For this reason, there are strict laws that exist to protect individuals from being subjected to this kind of abuse. Those laws, however, can also be abused — particularly when someone is falsely accused of committing domestic violence.
A false complaint of domestic violence will result in stiff consequences for the accused person in Maryland. You might be ordered to leave your home — either permanently or temporarily. You might be forced to complete counseling or an anger management course. You might receive a bad notation on your criminal record that affects your ability to maintain custody of your children and/or visitation rights.
More On Domestic Violence Charges in Maryland
In more serious cases of false complaints, you could be arrested and spend time in jail. Your criminal record might be marred with stalking or harassment. You could get charged with a sex crime, like rape or sexual assault. A no-contact order could be issued to prevent you from having any contact with your partner or spouse. In most cases, you will also be forced to give up your firearms — even if you use them as a police or military officer. GPS tracking ankle bracelets are also not unheard of.
The law actually encourages false complaints to stick because police officers are usually instructed not to make dual arrests. This means that there will usually be one person deemed to be the victim, leaving the other person as the “perpetrator.”
The perpetrator can be hit with consequences above whether they are guilty or not. For this reason, it is vital to handle the criminal defense of domestic abuse cases extremely carefully.