Common Charges in Philadelphia Domestic Violence Matters
A number of different types of criminal accusations fit under the definition of "abuse" in domestic violence charges. Some of the more common include:
Domestic Assault:
Intentionally causing or attempting to cause bodily harm, or putting a person in imminent fear of bodily harm can result in domestic assault charges. A simple assault charge can lead to second degree misdemeanor charges, carrying penalties of up to two years in jail and a $2,000 fine.
If there was serious bodily injury involved, the charges could be elevated to aggravated assault, a first degree felony, resulting in up to 20 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.
Child Abuse:
The line between corporal punishment and assault is a murky one, but parents who discipline their children could find themselves accused of child abuse. An assault on a child could lead to jail for up to five years and a fine up to a $10,000.
Endangering the Welfare of a Child:
Endangering the welfare of a child means the accused knowingly endangered a child by violating a duty of care, protection or support. If a person is accused of drunk driving with a child in the car, doing drugs in front of a child, allowing the child to ride in an open-air vehicle without restraining the child, leaving the child in a car on a hot day, failing to seek medical attention for a child, or living in poor or squalid conditions with a child, he or she may face child endangerment charges.
Endangering the welfare of a child could result in first degree misdemeanor charges, which can lead to up to five years in jail and a $5,000 fine. However, if the prosecution can prove there was a pattern of behavior, the charges could become a third degree felony, which can result in up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
Stalking:
Stalking means the accused repeatedly followed or communicated with the victim in a way that caused that person severe emotional stress and/or a reasonable fear of bodily injury.
Stalking can be a first degree misdemeanor, resulting in up to five years in jail and a $10,000 fine. If the accused was communicating messages to the victim, however, it becomes a third degree felony, punishable by up to seven years in jail and a $15,000 fine.
