ANNE ARUNDEL, CALVERT, CHARLES, ST. MARY’S & PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTIES.
Domestic Assault Defense | Haskell & Dyer
A Domestic Charge Is More Than a Criminal Case. It Reaches Your Home, Your Kids, and Your Rights.
When an assault charge involves a partner or family member, it sets off several cases at once: the criminal charge, a protective order, custody fallout, and your right to own a firearm. We handle all of it together.
Why This Is Different
One incident, several separate cases, each with its own clock.
A domestic charge does not stay in criminal court. A protective order hearing can happen within days, on its own track, and what is said there can affect everything else. Custody, where you live, and your firearm rights can all shift fast. Handling these pieces together, early, is what protects you.
What You're Actually Facing
The Cases That Run Side by Side
A domestic assault allegation can trigger more than one proceeding at the same time. They are connected, and a misstep in one can hurt the others.
Criminal
The Assault Charge
The criminal case itself, with the same exposure as any assault: a record, possible jail, and the penalties that come with a conviction.
Civil
The Protective Order
A separate civil case that can move within days. It can order you out of your home, away from your kids, and away from the other person, before the criminal case is decided.
Long Term
Custody & Firearm Rights
A domestic finding can ripple into family court custody decisions and, under federal law, can cost you the right to own a firearm. These consequences outlast the case itself.
What's at Stake
The Fallout Reaches Past the Courtroom
A domestic conviction touches the most important parts of your life.
Your Home
A protective order can order you out, fast
Your Kids
Custody and visitation can be affected
Your Guns
Federal law can strip your firearm rights
Your Record
A conviction that follows you for years
How We Defend a Domestic Assault Charge
These cases need a defense that sees the whole board, not just the criminal charge. We handle the connected pieces together.
We Handle the Protective Order
The protective order hearing comes fast and matters a lot. We represent you there so an early ruling does not derail everything else.
We Test the Allegation
Domestic cases often come from heated moments, mixed accounts, or one-sided reports. We examine what the evidence actually supports.
We Protect Your Family Rights
We keep an eye on the custody and family-court fallout so the criminal case does not quietly cost you time with your kids.
We Guard Your Firearm Rights
We flag the firearm consequences early and work to avoid an outcome that costs you those rights where we can.
Common Questions
Domestic Assault, Answered
The other person doesn't want to press charges. Will it just go away?
Not necessarily. In Maryland, the State, not the alleged victim, decides whether to pursue a domestic case, and it can move forward even if the other person wants to drop it. That is one reason these cases need a defense regardless of what the other person says.
What is a protective order, and how is it different from the criminal case?
A protective order is a separate civil case that can order you to stay away from the other person, leave your home, or have no contact with your children. It moves on its own fast timeline and can take effect before the criminal case is resolved, which is why both have to be handled together.
Can a domestic charge affect my custody or visitation?
It can. Family courts take domestic allegations seriously, and a finding or conviction can influence custody and visitation decisions. We watch that fallout closely so the criminal case does not quietly cost you time with your children.
Will I lose my right to own a gun?
Possibly. Under federal law, certain domestic convictions and protective orders can strip your right to own or possess a firearm. This is one of the most serious long-term consequences, and we flag it early and work to protect those rights where the facts allow.
It was a two-sided argument. Can I still be charged?
Yes, and people often are. A heated argument where both people were involved can still lead to a charge against one person. The State still has to prove its case, and a mutual or exaggerated account is something we can challenge.
Charged With Domestic Assault? Protect Everything That's at Stake.
The criminal case is only part of it. The protective order, your kids, and your rights are all on the line, often within days. Tell us what happened and get an honest read on your options. The first conversation is free.
Arrested after hours? Call our 24/7 line: 240-687-0179