Having charges brought against you for domestic violence can lead to incarceration, loss of your right to vote, your rights to own and possess a firearm and in some cases, the loss of any chance of becoming a United States Citizen.  In one recent Torrance criminal case, attorney Matthew Ruff represented such a defendant who was facing deportation as a result of charges filed against him by the local prosecutor.  the client was arrested for a violation of Penal Code section 273.5 after his wife reported alleged acts of abuse that later were determined to be unfounded and motivated by a desire to acquire an advantage in divorce proceedings and to get custody of minor children.

The client, here in this country on a work visa was taken into custody in Rancho Palos Verdes and forced to bail out on 50,000 bail.  The charges were filed weeks after the alleged event when the wife walked into the police station and reported an incident alleged to have occurred weeks prior.  The defendant was offered a plea deal of one year of domestic violence counseling and 3 years of probation.

The primary reason the client sought out the help of a lawyer is that a conviction would most certainly result in his loss of his right to stay and work in the country and preclude and chances of becoming a citizen.  It was later determined that the allegations were motivated by anger and were false, based on witness accounts.  Attorney Ruff obtained the dismissal of all charges in November of 2012 when the case was sent out for trial.