Vancouver, Washington, Domestic Violence Attorney

The domestic violence laws create enhanced penalties for crimes of assault, destruction of property, harassment, disorderly conduct, etc., committed by family and/or household members against one another. The law requires police responding to a domestic dispute to make an arrest in almost all cases, and the resulting consequences can be devastating to everyone involved. For example, the district and municipal courts in Clark County almost always prohibit contact between the accused (usually the husband or boyfriend) and the complainant (usually the wife or girlfriend) throughout the course of the pending case, which may last for months. Arrest are often made for minor physical contact such as pushing or shoving, or empty threats made in anger while under the influence of intoxicants, and even for breaking community property having minimal value.

These cases are nonetheless prosecuted to the fullest extent by the government and must be aggressively defended to protect your rights and ensure fairness in the process. They are often defensible. For example, reasonable force is lawful if used in self-defense, or the defense of property, or to protect others - such as children - from the risk of harm.

Anyone arrested or charged with any alleged crime of domestic violence should immediately contact an experienced attorney to obtain representation. Steve Thayer has over 30 years experience defending domestic violence cases. He has been AV* rated by Martindale-Hubbell's peer review process and been selected as a Super Lawyer as voted by his peers in the survey conducted by Washington Law & Politics Magazine for many years. Contact us today to schedule an appointment, or call 360-450-0872 to protect your rights.

*CV, BV and AV are registered certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties, Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies.

Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer-review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell Ratings fall into two categories -- legal ability and general ethical standards.