Domestic Violence

Los Angeles County Area Domestic Violence Lawyer

The State of California takes the charge of “Domestic Violence” very seriously. Many of these cases may start out seeming minor, but the consequences can be devastating.

What is Domestic Violence?

In California, the relationship that constitutes “domestic” and the actions that count as “violence” are very broad and loosely defined. Married persons, boyfriend-girlfriends, same sex couples, blood relatives (siblings, parents and their children, cousins), even roommates are all relationships which count as “domestic” for purposes of this charge. It gets worse… Simple, acts which may not seem like a violence, such as pushing, pinching or hair pulling, are all actions which can and are routinely labeled as the “violence” aspect of the crime.

Considering pleading Guilty or “No Contest” to a Domestic Violence Charge?
DO NOT try to handle your case by yourself and DO NOT plead guilty without talking to an attorney.

A domestic violence conviction could result in you losing your job, your children and even your freedom. Criminal penalties for domestic violence may include jail time, probation, court ordered counseling for up to a year and other serious penalties.

If you have been charged with Domestic Violence you should immediately retain an attorney. Even a misdemeanor conviction for a Domestic Violence charge carries mandatory jail time. And this needs repeating: a Domestic Violence conviction can cause the loss of custody of your children, loss of employment, and if you are not yet a legal citizen can subject you to deportation.

Domestic Violence is not a “Male-Only” Crime

This is a unisex crime. Whether you are a man or a woman, if you are convicted of domestic violence in California, this creates a presumption that you are unfit to be the primary custodian of your own children. This means that you can lose custody of your children to the parent who may not even be the primary parent (in the case of a separation or divorce situation). If you want to protect yourself from such an humiliating and outrageous outcome as surrendering your children to a husband or wife that may only see your children a few times a year you need an attorney.

Firearms Prohibition

Under federal law, you cannot ever legally carry a firearm if you have a domestic violence conviction. If you are in the military or a member of law enforcement, this is usually the end of your career. In other fields that require you to have a state license, such as an attorney, a contractor, a hairdresser, those that require special licensing, this conviction can cause you to lose and/or prevent you from renewing that license!

Law Enforcement Professionals

The Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997 made several amendments to the Federal Gun Control Act of 1968. The amendments prohibit the possession of firearms and ammunition by persons convicted of state or federal misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence. Law enforcement officers and other governmental officials are NOT EXEMPT from these amendments.

Hire an Attorney

If you are considering pleading guilty to just “get this over with,” you are gravely mistaking the consequences. A Domestic Violence conviction will be a permanent criminal record following you for the rest of your life.


In the State of California, prosecutors rarely reduce or dismiss charges of domestic violence. In addition, a plea often requires jail time and mandatory classes that last up to 48 weeks. Unless you plead guilty and are prepared to take the classes and do the jail time, your case will go to trial. For that you will need an experienced trial attorney to prepare and present your defense.

If you are currently charged with domestic violence, or if you are suffering loss of employment, family, or deportation due to a domestic violence conviction, it is not too late. Contact the Baum Law Corp. We have successfully defended clients accused of domestic violence, have successfully argued for the dismissal of charges, and obtained favorable plea agreements for many clients facing criminal charges.

The Baum Law Corp. provides a vigorous defense against the criminal charges you face and represent you at any hearings involving a protective order that has been issued or may be pending.

We will carefully review the facts of your case and the events leading up to your arrest. Based upon our understanding of these facts and the strength of the case against you, we will recommend a legal strategy designed to obtain the best possible result in your circumstances.

In some cases, we may be able to convince the prosecutor to drop the charge or reduce it to a lesser offense. In other cases, we may be able to negotiate a plea agreement with the prosecutor on favorable terms. If the prosecution is not willing to be reasonable, we will be fully prepared to provide a vigorous defense on your behalf at trial.

Domestic Violence Lawyers

At the law firm of The Baum Law Corp., we have experience defending against domestic violence and domestic abuse charges. This includes charges of assault, battery, stalking, criminal threats, attempted murder, child endangerment, restraining order violations, and more.

The Baum Law Corp. criminal defense lawyers are known for aggressively defending charges of domestic violence. We are exceptionally skilled and experienced in this area of law.

Call us for a free confidential consultation today!


An accuser does not have the power to “make the charge go away.” It is not uncommon in domestic violence cases for the accuser to want to “take back” his or her statement to the police or desires that the prosecutor not file charges. However, once an accusation is made, the law enforcement agency and the prosecutor working on your case are in complete control. Even if the accuser claims to have lied to the police, it is within the sole discretion of the prosecutor to decide whether the charges are true and whether there is sufficient evidence to pursue the case. Oftentimes, despite an accuser’s desire to “drop the charges”, it is too late and the accused must prove their innocence.

Many domestic violence offenses can be charged as either a misdemeanor or a felony. If you are convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence, you face probation, anger management classes, and up to one year in county jail. However, if you are convicted of a felony, you could also be sentenced to years in prison, even if this is your first offense. Whether your case is dismissed, or if you are convicted and get prison, all depends on the facts of your case AND the quality of your domestic violence lawyer. At The Baum Law Corp., our attorneys offer nothing less than the best defense for our clients.

The Baum Law Corp. has extensive experience defending domestic violence cases throughout Southern California including: Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, San Diego County, Santa Barbara County, and Ventura County.

If you or a loved one is accused of a domestic violence crime, call us today for a free confidential consultation. You will speak directly with the most skilled domestic violence attorneys California has to offer.

In Los Angeles County, The Baum Law Corp. routinely handles domestic violence cases in:
Airport Court (LAX), Alhambra, Antelope Valley (Lancaster), Antelope Valley Juvenile, Bellfower, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Catalina, Central Arraignment (Bauchet), Compton, Downtown Los Angeles (CCB), Downey, East Los Angeles, Eastlake Juvenile, El Monte, Glendale, Hollywood, Inglewood, Inglewood Juvenile, Long Beach, Malibu, Metropolitan (Hill Street), Newhall, Norwalk, Pasadena, Pomona, Torrance, San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita (Valencia), Van Nuys, West Covina, and Whittier.

We are Eternally Grateful to the M***** Family for Referring You

We are writing to say a huge THANK YOU for your work in representing our son, Blake,
in the court appearance… We were not able to be there, but he was in he best of hands with you. You accomplished what we had hoped and prayed would be he outcome.

We are so thankful for our friend’s referral to you, since we do not have any
acquaintances in Los Angeles, and we were a total loss of what to do. We are eternally
grateful to the M***** Family for referring you.

Thank you again for your hard work and your dedication!

Skip & Sue Reisinger

Delivers Results

David delivers on his promises, works with his clients to assure success and is generous. David has been here as a business consultant and lawyer for the past few years. He is well polished, great at communication and delivers results. Thank you for all your help.
Hired more than once. Top qualities: Great Results, Expert, High Integrity

Hersh D.

Instrumental in Reaching a Favorable Outcome

David was incredibly helpful in dealing with my case. He provided
exceptional legal services for a reasonable cost. He handled my case
aggressively and proactively and was instrumental in reaching a
favorable outcome. He was readily available to meet for court
preparation and was able to address any questions and concerns I had
throughout the proceedings. I would not hesitate to contact him should any
arise in the future.

Donovan Gilbuena

Client

Thank You for Your Service to the Community

Although I do not know you, nor your firm, I wish to thank you, and all others working on the problems at Grand View….Sometimes it’s easy to forget that our work affects others . . . so, I wanted you to know that your efforts have impact on the lives of others.

Again, “Thank you!”

Robert B. Cushman

Reliable and Thorough Advocate

David knows his stuff and will work hard as your advocate in a reliable and thorough manner.  Great Results, Good Value, High Integrity.

Lyndon Parker

Managing Director at Mestel & Company

Your Law Firm was Truly a Blessing

Mr. Taylor, his parents and the entire family would like to extend our sincere gratitude
for your excellent service in representing him with his legal battle in a court of law. Your
law firm was truly a blessing to us all with this legal matter and we thank you so very
much for your representation.
Sincerely,
Ms. Viola T.

Viola Taylor

David got it right

This is the attorney who I should’ve went with –To put it short out of all the attorneys I consulted with David was the only one who gave me the cut and dry straight forward answer in how to best handle my case unfortunately I went along with the majority ideas and I really should’ve hired David because if I had I wouldn’t have done any jail time or plea bargaining which led to lots of money, classes, community labor, probation for years after. David got it right with the information I gave when I told my side of the story.  – posted by Anonymous, March 31, 2021

Anonymous

Caring and Dedicated Attorney

David Is a very caring and dedicated attorney. As his interpreter, I have witness first hand his interaction with his clients, and I am happy to recommend David.

Teri Szucs

Knowledgeable, Dedicated, Compassionate and Extremely Competent

David is knowledgeable, dedicated, compassionate and extremely competent. I would recommend him for any assignment that falls within his expertise.

Barry Howard

I would recommend him without reservation.

Dear David, I’ve written this recommendation of your work. David went right to work on our tax problem and, very economically, produced a result that enabled us to counter an IRS position. I would recommend him without reservation.

Rex Rhinesmith

Committed and Tenacious Lawyer!

I made it through a difficult layoff in the entertainment industry thanks to the wisdom and guidance of David Baum. He is a highly experienced attorney that helped me navigate through complicated paperwork to ensure that my rights were not violated. He is dedicated to providing outstanding representation to his clients, and has a well-deserved reputation for being a committed and tenacious lawyer!

Deborah C., MA Spiritual Psychology Int’l Transformation Coach, Educator, Speaker, March 17, 2011

The one and only attorney I will be calling is Mr. Baum!

I was involved in an extremely high profile federal criminal court case in Downtown Los Angeles because a former boss of mine was under investigation by the FBI and ultimately charged /convicted/locked up for many years. Mr. Baum is a truly brilliant attorney who not only has the intellect and experience it takes to maneuver through an extremely complicated and multilayered case like mine, but he does so with a Zen like calm that keeps everyone guessing. While representing me, Mr. Baum had no choice but to juggle many hats and I cannot thank him or sing his praises enough! He found secret exits out of the courtroom (to avoid the daily awaiting photographers and reporters after one had chased us out the building and through the parking lot trying to take my photo and get a statement) to making sure that my safety was maintained throughout the entire experience (prep, trial and even afterwards). I pray that I never have to go through another trial, but if I do, you can guarantee that the one and only attorney I will be calling is Mr. Baum!

Tarita Virtue

Private Investigator, October 26, 2011

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