What is Domestic Violence in Illinois?

In Illinois, domestic violence is a serious crime—and it comes with serious consequences. But what counts as domestic violence in Illinois, and what will happen to you if you’re convicted of this type of charge?

What is Domestic Violence in Illinois?

Under Illinois law, a person can be charged with domestic violence in one of two ways: domestic battery or aggravated domestic battery.

Domestic Battery

Domestic battery is battery against a family member, a household member, or someone with whom you’re in a relationship. It can also be against an ex, whether or not you were married.

Aggravated Domestic Battery

Aggravated domestic battery occurs with the same people as domestic battery does, but it results in great bodily harm, permanent disability, or disfigurement to the victim. If a domestic battery case includes strangulation, it becomes an aggravated domestic battery case.

What is an Order of Protection?

In many domestic violence cases, a judge issues an order of protection for the victim. That could mean that you must leave your home, leave your possessions behind, and even miss out on seeing your children until the entire matter is resolved.

It’s unfortunate, but it happens every day in Chicago and the surrounding communities.

What if You’re Falsely Accused of Domestic Violence in Chicago or the Suburbs?

If you’re falsely accused of domestic violence in Rolling Meadows, Skokie, Schaumburg or Chicago, you may need to talk with a domestic violence defense lawyer who will fight for your rights in court. Many people find that it’s helpful to speak with an experienced domestic violence defense lawyer who understands the laws in Cook County and elsewhere in Illinois. Your attorney can answer your questions about your case, help you understand the potential penalties you could be facing, and build a strategy that gets you the best possible outcome.

Call us at 847-920-4540 to speak with a former Cook County prosecutor, free, right now. If you’ve been accused of domestic violence in Chicago, you don’t have much time to get the representation you deserve. We’ll give you a free domestic violence defense case evaluation so you know what you’re up against.