What Counts as Domestic Violence Under Illinois Law - Domestic Battery Lawyer Chicago

What counts as domestic violence in Illinois? If you’re accused of domestic battery or aggravated domestic battery, you already know that these are serious charges – but what can you really be convicted of domestic violence for?

What Counts as Domestic Violence Under Illinois Law?

The Illinois Domestic Violence Act covers violence that occurs within certain relationships, including:

  • Spouses
  • Ex-spouses
  • Blood-related family members
  • Co-parents
  • Current roommates
  • Elderly adults and caregivers
  • Disabled adults and caregivers
  • Former roommates
  • Individuals related by blood through a child
  • Parent-child
  • Stepparent-child

Abuse, under the law, includes things like:

  • Physical abuse, like pushing, hitting, or preventing someone from leaving
  • Forced sex
  • Harassment, like creating a disturbance in public designed to embarrass another person (such as at work or school) or repeatedly calling someone, following or watching them
  • Threatening to physically hurt someone
  • Forcing a person to do something he or she doesn’t want to do

If you’re accused of doing something that counts as domestic violence in Chicago or any of the suburbs, the alleged victim may be able to get an order of protection against you. An order of protection can prevent you from seeing your children, require you to turn over guns to law enforcement, or require you to complete counseling. It can do a number of other things, too, based on what the alleged victim asks for and what the judge believes when he or she issues it, such as:

  • Preventing you from entering your own home
  • Require you to appear in court
  • Prevent you from getting rid of personal property or require you to give personal property to the alleged victim
  • Require you to take anger management classes

Has Someone Accused You of a Crime That Counts as Domestic Violence?

If someone has accused you of committing a domestic battery-related crime, even if you’re innocent – or even if you haven’t been arrested – it may be a good time to call a domestic battery defense lawyer who works in Chicago and the surrounding communities.

Get in touch with us at 847-920-4540 for a free domestic battery case review right now. We may be able to help you.