What Crimes Are Domestic Battery in Chicago

First things first: If you’ve been accused of any type of domestic violence crime, you probably need to talk to a top domestic battery lawyer in Chicago.

What Crimes Are Considered “Domestic Battery” in Chicago?

The key with a domestic battery crime is that the alleged victim must be a family or household member. The victim must be the accused person’s:

  • Spouse
  • Former spouse
  • Parent
  • Child
  • Stepchild
  • Blood relative
  • Relative by current or former marriage
  • Child’s parent or relative
  • Roommate
  • Former boyfriend or girlfriend
  • Former fiancé or fiancée

The law also extends to people who have disabilities and their personal assistants or caregivers.

Crimes Considered Domestic Battery

Under Illinois law, any crime that causes bodily harm or involves “physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature” to a family or household member can be considered domestic battery, whether you’re in Chicago, Rolling Meadows, or any other Illinois community.

That can include:

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

It’s important to know, though, that some of these acts—particularly strangling or the use of a weapon—turns a domestic battery charge into an aggravated domestic battery charge, which is a felony punishable by between 1 and 7 years of imprisonment and fines of up to $25,000.

Do You Need to Talk to a Domestic Battery Lawyer in Chicago?

If you’ve been accused of any type of domestic violence, it’s important to defend yourself and protect your rights.

You may need to talk to a domestic battery lawyer focusing on Chicago, Rolling Meadows, Skokie, and the surrounding communities.

Call us at 847-920-4540 for a free domestic battery case evaluation. We’ll examine your situation, talk about your options, and give you case-specific legal advice that you can use.