What Is California’s Domestic Violence Court?

Many counties in California have a domestic violence court, which specifically deals with domestic violence cases. Although each county runs its domestic violence court a little differently, each domestic violence court focuses specifically on domestic violence, particularly issues such as screening for related cases, providing options for the parties involved, and monitoring.

Most domestic violence courts use a broad definition of “domestic violence” when assigning specific cases to the court. Therefore, cases that involve accusations of crimes such as assault and battery may wind up on the domestic violence docket if they involve members of the same family or people who were or are in an intimate relationship. Domestic violence courts may also handle restraining orders, which consist of rules a person accused of domestic violence in California must follow when dealing with the person making the accusation.

Domestic violence courts are similar in many ways to other California “collaborative courts” like drug courts, community/homeless courts, and veterans’ courts. These courts try to focus on solving problems long-term by giving the parties and their attorneys a chance to work together, instead of forcing them to use the adversarial process in a typical trial. Domestic violence courts, however, often focus on ensuring that everyone involved is safe as well as handling the legal issues at hand.

If you have been charged with domestic violence in California, please don’t hesitate to call experienced Orange County domestic violence defense attorney Maltaise Cini. Ms. Cini can help you understand your legal options and will fight to ensure your rights are protected. To learn more, call Maltaise Cini today at 949-660-1389.