Domestic battery is a crime in the state of Illinois, and it’s one that’s punished severely. Further, the consequences of a domestic battery conviction can follow you around for the rest of your life—and those consequences can have serious repercussions on your reputation, your future employability, and more.

What is Domestic Battery Under Chicago Law?

Domestic battery is the same throughout the state. Illinois law defines it as different from aggravated domestic battery, but it is still a serious crime.

Domestic battery can include several types of causing harm to someone else; the condition that makes it “domestic” is that the victim is a household member or a family member.

Some of the acts that constitute domestic battery under Illinois law include:

  • Acts of intimidation
  • Biting
  • Choking
  • Kicking
  • Open-handed slapping
  • Punching
  • Shoving
  • Sexual abuse
  • Threats of harm

(It’s important to note that strangulation is a form of domestic battery, but it turns what would be a standard domestic battery charge into a charge of aggravated domestic battery.)

What to Do if You’re Accused of Domestic Batterywhat counts as domestic battery in chicago chicago domestic violence defense lawyer

If you’re accused of domestic battery, whether or not someone has taken out an order of protection against you, the first thing you should do is get in touch with a domestic battery defense lawyer in Chicago.

Your lawyer will examine the circumstances of your case and ensure your rights are protected. Don’t answer any questions from investigators or police without speaking to your lawyer first; you do have the right to have your attorney present during questioning.

Your lawyer will ask you several questions about the incident and the circumstances leading up to it. Make sure you’re honest—your lawyer can’t defend what he doesn’t know.

If you’ve been accused of domestic battery, call us immediately at 847-920-4540 for a free domestic violence case evaluation. We’ll comb through the circumstances of your case and begin building a strategic defense that gets you the best possible outcome.