Peter Followill is an attorney based in Atlanta, Georgia. A life-long resident of the state, he earned his B.A. at Emory University and received his law degree from Georgia State University's College of Law. While a law student, Peter served as an intern and summer fellow at several public interest organizations. He has worked as a judge's staff attorney and as a criminal defense trial lawyer since graduating law school.
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Articles By Peter Followill
While challenges exist to prosecuting domestic violence cases without victim testimony, prosecutors may have other evidence of the crime that proves the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Generally speaking, a victim cannot force an unwilling prosecutor to file charges or seek an indictment from a grand jury. The prosecutor, exercising "prosecutorial discretion," has the final say.
Louisiana law contains criminal provisions that outlaw domestic violence, and civil provisions that make court-issued protective orders available to victims of domestic violence. The crime of domestic abuse battery carries potential jail time and fines, and violations of domestic violence protective
The State of New York defines family offenses as the commission of certain violent and threatening crimes when committed between people who share one of the specified relationships. In addition to facing criminal prosecution, a person who commits a family offense may be named in a restraining order, referred to as an order of protection.
Domestic violence in Florida defines is any assault, aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, sexual assault, sexual battery, stalking, aggravated stalking, kidnapping, false imprisonment, or any criminal offense resulting in physical injury or death, committed by a family or household member against another family or household member.
In Colorado, domestic violence laws prohibit physical acts of violence against people and property under certain circumstances. For a violent act to qualify as a crime involving domestic violence, the aggressor and the victim must share or have shared an intimate relationship, as defined by statute.
North Carolina law defines domestic violence as one of several violent acts when committed between people sharing a personal relationship.
In New Hampshire, domestic violence occurs when a person commits one of several violent crimes against a spouse, family or household member, or against an individual with whom the person has had an intimate relationship.
Arkansas state law prohibits public intoxication and drinking in public. Both offenses are treated as crimes that carry possible jail time and fines. Defendants charged with these crimes may raise one or more defenses to the charges.
In New Jersey, the commission of a domestic violence crime can result in imprisonment and fines for the offender. Punishment for conviction of a domestic violence offense depends on the grade of the crime, as set by law.