Domestic Violence, Assault
Seattle, Washington Domestic Violence and Assault Attorney
Domestic violence is a grave societal problem. The social and monetary cost of this form of violence is extraordinary. Once viewed as merely a private matter to be kept within a family or a relationship, domestic violence is now taken very seriously by police, prosecutors, judges, and juries. As a result, the number of domestic violence arrests and prosecutions has increased dramatically.
The response of the criminal justice system has been to treat domestic violence essentially as a public health problem, which means that cases and defendants tend to be viewed as part of a whole rather than individually. While this type of systemic approach has ensured that domestic violence cases get prosecuted rather than swept under the rug of family privacy, it has also meant that key decision makers in the system – police, prosecutors, judges – can tend not to view cases and defendants individually. Particularly in the early stages of a case, the tendency of these decision makers is to err on the side of guilt rather than innocence. The result is a large number of unfair and wrongful prosecutions.
Michael Iaria has substantial experience representing people accused of domestic violence offenses. His general approach to criminal defense investigation and preparation is particularly useful in trying to convince prosecutors to not file charges or, if charges have already been filed, in getting them to re-evaluate their filing decision. If going to trial is not advisable, he is skilled at negotiating alternative resolutions that seek to avoid potential indirect consequences such as deportation, loss of gun rights, or loss of a professional license. Should the matter proceed to trial, his years of trial experience enable him to defend his clients effectively in front of a jury.