Domestic Abuse Attorney in Minnesota

Restraining Orders, Orders of Protection, Child Abuse, Spousal Abuse

When violence exists at the home, the battered spouse frequently needs more than just a divorce. They need immediate protection for themselves and their children. In Minnesota, the victim of domestic violence can generally obtain an order very quickly, pending a final hearing. This order instructs the violent spouse to leave the parties' shared home and stay away from the victim's place of work, and can be issued within hours of a client's initial meeting with an attorney, if necessary. The order will be forwarded to the local police, who will escort the offending spouse from the home. If the evicted spouse violates the order and contacts the spouse or other family members affected by the order, the action is treated as a crime and the district attorney will prosecute the offender.

Once the temporary order is in place, the offender may request a second hearing, known as an evidentiary hearing, to prove that the allegations submitted to court are not true. An experienced family law attorney from Heimerl & Lammers can assist you through this process and make sure your voice is heard.

Violating an Order for Protection

Should you find your spouse seeking an Order for Protection against you, you should take this process seriously. Obviously, if you have been physically abusing your spouse or your children, you need to arrange for counseling on your own before it escalates into a public matter. Domestic violence issues can appear on a criminal background check and a conviction or violation of a no-contact order can affect your ability to hold certain jobs. In addition to its impact on employment, being accused of domestic abuse can affect your ability to obtain legal custody, physical custody and even visitation of your own children. A current domestic violence conviction will make it very difficult from even seeking joint custody of your children.

Child Abuse Children must be protected against any physical or emotional abuse. When child abuse has taken place, legal action should be taken at once. Read more about child abuse...

Spousal Abuse If you have been the victim of spousal abuse, you need to protect yourself from future injury or emotional damages. Read more about spousal abuse...

Effect of Domestic Abuse on Custody Awards The court is concerned with the safety and wellbeing of children, and when there is an accusation of physical or emotional abuse, it can affect the outcome in a custody case. Read more about effect of domestic abuse on custody awards...

We cannot advise you enough that this is a serious legal issue, especially when the accusations have been made falsely in order to affect a custody battle. Immediate action should be taken to address this matter or it could be too late.

Minnesota Domestic Abuse Lawyer

Whether you need an attorney to help relieve you from an abusive situation or whether you need an attorney to help you defend against allegations of abuse, experience matters. If you have any questions, or if you would like to speak with an experienced attorney to advise you with your concerns about domestic violence and Orders of Protection, please contact the Minnesota family law firm at Heimerl & Lammers. We look forward to helping you.