When you are arrested for any type of Domestic Violence charge in Alabama there are serious ramifications and these may be unknown to you. If you are convicted of domestic violence, either in municipal or district court you may be ordered to pay a fine and court costs. There may be some jail time which will usually be suspended for a period of time and you will be placed on probation. The Court may also order you to attend some type of class or counseling sessions such as anger management or domestic violence classes.
But the unsuspecting person may have collateral consequences lying in wait. There are many attorneys and even some judges who are unaware of a very serious collateral issue with a guilty plea to domestic violence. Are you a hunter? Are you a police officer or want to become a police officer? Do you have a gun in your home? Do you have a pistol permit and carry a gun for personal protection?
Who would believe that a domestic violence charge in one of the many Alabama courts would possibly result in a federal charge? Well here is the rest of the story.
Federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922[g][1-9]) prohibits certain individuals from possessing firearms, ammunition, or explosives. The penalty for violating this law is ten years imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine. Further, (more…)