At Perlman & Cohen Los Angeles Criminal Lawyers, our Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney helps when you face domestic violence charges. How long do domestic violence cases take? Most cases last 3-12 months. The time depends on whether it's a misdemeanor or felony, how strong the evidence is, and how busy the courts are.
When you face domestic violence charges, knowing what to expect helps you plan. Our team works hard to resolve your case quickly while standing up for your rights during the legal process.
Domestic violence cases follow a standard timeline. Most domestic violence cases with misdemeanor charges take 3-9 months from arrest to the end. Felony domestic violence cases take longer, about 6-18 months to finish.
Several factors affect how long your case might take:
First-time misdemeanors may end in 90 days, while felony charges with bodily injury often take a year.
It also matters if you post bail or stay in jail, if witnesses are easy to find, and if law enforcement officers have enough evidence of the domestic violence incident.
The court process for domestic violence cases has several steps. Each step takes time and affects how long until your case ends.
From your arrest until your case ends, you'll go through many stages. Having an experienced attorney helps protect your rights and gets you the best possible outcome.
After a domestic violence incident, police arrest the person they think is the primary aggressor. After an arrest, you go through booking at the jail. This means fingerprints, photos, and paperwork. Police have 24-72 hours to file domestic violence charges.
Booking takes longer on weekends, holidays, or when jails are full. During this time, only talk about your case with your attorney. What you say to others can become evidence against you later in your criminal case.
Your arraignment must happen within 48-72 hours if you're in jail. At this court date, the judge tells you the domestic violence charges, and you enter your first plea. The judge also decides about bail and may issue protective orders to keep you away from the alleged victim.
If either side asks for more time, your case can take weeks longer. Many defendants ask for time to hire an attorney before they enter a plea. While this extends your case, it often leads to better results.
After arraignment, your case moves to the pretrial phase. During this time, your defense attorney may file motions to:
Each pre-trial hearing can add 1-2 months to your timeline. These steps help your defense by giving your attorney time to build a stronger case or negotiate better terms for you.
About 90% of domestic violence cases end with plea agreements instead of jury trials. Cases settled through pleas usually end within 3-6 months. Cases going to trial often take 6-12 months.
Trials involve picking jurors, showing evidence, questioning witnesses, and giving the jury time to decide—all of which take time. Trials take longer and have more risks, but they're sometimes needed when prosecutors won't offer fair deals or when the evidence strongly favors your defense.
The specific domestic violence charges against you directly impact how long your case will take. Different charges have different steps and consequences that affect your timeline.
Your attorney should explain these differences early, so you know what to expect in the weeks or months ahead.
Misdemeanor domestic violence cases move through the court faster than felony cases. Misdemeanors have fewer hearings and simpler evidence. These cases often end within 3-6 months.
Felony domestic violence charges need more steps, including a preliminary hearing where prosecutors must show they have enough evidence. This extra hearing adds 2-4 months to your timeline. Felony cases also need more investigation time, making everything take longer.
When prosecutors file multiple charges from one domestic violence incident—like assault, making threats, and vandalism—each charge needs a separate review. This makes your defense take longer.
Prosecutors sometimes use multiple criminal charges to pressure you into taking a plea deal. Your attorney must look at each charge and make plans to address them all. This takes more time but protects your rights and helps reach the best possible outcome.
The alleged victim's choices greatly affect how long domestic violence cases take. Their help or lack of help with prosecutors creates different timelines for resolving domestic violence cases.
When alleged victims work with prosecutors, cases may move faster. Their testimony helps prosecutors judge their evidence and make faster decisions about the charges.
If the alleged victim changes their statement or refuses to testify, prosecutors must use other evidence like police reports, 911 calls, or witness statements. This often makes cases take longer as prosecutors decide whether to continue with insufficient evidence or dismiss charges.
In California, domestic violence laws allow cases to continue without the victim's help in some situations. Prosecutors may use photos of injuries, medical records, and statements made at the scene to build their case, which adds time as they gather this evidence.
Protective orders often come with domestic violence cases and affect your case timeline. Understanding protective orders helps you follow the rules while your case moves forward.
Emergency protective orders can start right after a domestic violence incident and last up to seven days. These orders protect the alleged victim until a court hearing for longer protection, normally within 2-3 weeks.
Long-term restraining orders need a separate court hearing, adding another step to your case. If you break a protective order, you face new criminal charges that make your original case take longer and make your defense harder.
The court looks at how well you follow protective orders when considering plea offers or jail time. It's important to follow these orders exactly, even if you and the alleged victim want to work things out.
The investigation in domestic violence cases generally takes 30-60 days. During this time, police gather evidence including:
Prosecutors review this evidence to decide whether to file charges, what level of charges to file, or whether to dismiss the case due to insufficient evidence. This review adds time to your case but makes sure all facts are considered.
During the investigation, only talk about your case with your attorney. Social media posts, text messages, or contact with the alleged victim can create new evidence against you. This might make your case take longer and hurt your defense.
Several types of pretrial hearings can impact how long your domestic violence case takes. Each hearing has a specific purpose and offers a chance to help your defense.
A motion to dismiss hearings can end your case early if your attorney finds problems with the charges or evidence. These motions challenge whether the case should continue and may lead to dismissal or reduced charges.
Discovery disputes happen when either side believes the other is hiding evidence. These disputes add time, but ensure you have all the evidence needed for your defense.
Evidentiary hearings decide what evidence can be used at trial. Your attorney may challenge evidence that wasn't properly obtained or try to introduce evidence that helps your case. These hearings shape your case direction and affect plea negotiations.
Through these hearings, experienced attorneys use their knowledge to get better outcomes while pushing for faster resolution when it makes sense for your situation.
Felony domestic violence cases involve serious charges, typically including significant injuries, weapons, or prior convictions. These cases follow a more complex path and take longer than misdemeanors.
The preliminary hearing is key in felony cases, happening about 10-15 days after arraignment if you're in jail or within 60 days if you're out on bail. At this hearing, the prosecutor must show probable cause that a crime happened and that you did it. This "mini-trial" adds time but lets your attorney see the prosecution's evidence.
In some cases, prosecutors use grand jury indictments instead of preliminary hearings, adding months to your timeline. While less common, these may occur in high-profile domestic violence cases.
Felony charges often come with mandatory jail time, raising the stakes and making negotiations take longer as both sides look at all options before resolving the matter.
Many domestic violence cases end through plea agreements rather than trials. Understanding these options helps you make smart decisions about your case.
Early resolution programs offer first-time offenders chances to resolve cases through classes, counseling, or reduced charges. These programs can shorten timelines, often ending within 3-6 months, while helping you avoid the worst effects on your criminal record.
Your attorney should review all evidence before suggesting any plea deal. Quick pleas without proper case review might seem good, but can hurt your future rights and opportunities.
Factors affecting plea offers include evidence strength, your criminal record, whether the alleged victim helps, and which prosecutor handles your case. Each factor needs careful thought and affects how long negotiations take before reaching an acceptable resolution.
When domestic violence cases go to trial, the timeline gets much longer. Understanding this process helps you prepare for this longer commitment.
Jury selection takes 1-2 weeks in domestic violence cases, as attorneys screen potential jurors. This process alone adds lots of time compared to plea deals.
The trial itself usually lasts 1-3 weeks, depending on how complex the case is and how much evidence there is. During this time, both sides present their case, question witnesses, and make closing arguments to create reasonable doubt.
Jury deliberation may take hours or days, adding unpredictable time. Los Angeles courts are often backed up, which can delay your trial by six months or more from when your case is ready.
Throughout the trial process, your attorney must be thoroughly prepared to maximize your chances of a favorable outcome by establishing reasonable doubt.
Once your domestic violence case ends through either a verdict or a plea agreement, several more steps affect the final timeline.
Sentencing commonly happens 30-60 days after a plea or verdict, allowing time for probation to prepare reports that help the judge decide your punishment. These reports examine your background, details of the incident, and recommend penalties.
If found guilty at trial, you can appeal, which typically takes at least a year. Appeals look at whether legal errors happened during your trial, but don't re-examine facts the jury decided.
Even after sentencing, domestic violence convictions may require more court appearances for probation check-ins or required classes. These extend how long your case affects your life beyond the main court process.
If you face domestic violence charges, every day matters in building your defense. At Perlman & Cohen, our experienced attorneys work to resolve domestic violence cases quickly while protecting your rights throughout the legal process.
Call us today for a free consultation to discuss your case. Don't face these serious charges alone—our team is ready to fight for your rights and work toward the best possible outcome for your situation.
