A lawmaker from the Kansas City metro area was recently arrested on an accusation of domestic violence. He was booked into an area jail several hours after police detained him. He faces a misdemeanor domestic battery charge.
Some members of the Kansas House of Representatives, of which the man is a member, have suggested that he resign in light of this incident. Actually expelling him from the legislative body would involve a 2/3rds vote of the chamber.
One of the man’s colleagues indicated he wanted to get more information from law enforcement about the incident before making decisions.
Domestic violence accusations can ruin a person’s career, reputation
Although this incident happened on the Kansas side of the metro area, everyone who lives in greater Kansas City can take this story as a reminder on how serious domestic assault charges are.
Even a first-time offense that is a misdemeanor, as opposed to a felony, can land a person in jail. Fines and other penalties, such as probation with mandatory counseling, are a real possibility.
Moreover, there are many other consequences for a conviction related to domestic violence that can haunt a person for years. For example, a person can lose the right to own a firearm. If the person is not a United States citizen, he or she may face deportation.
Furthermore, there are many careers in which it can be difficult, if not impossible, to continue pursuing with a domestic violence conviction. Even in lines of work where a domestic violence conviction is not a disqualifier per se, the allegation still carries such a stigma that it is still an effective career-killer.
Charges related to domestic violence are often a matter of one person accusing another of misconduct. Given the stakes involved, someone accused will want to understand his or her legal options.