Domestic Violence cases between siblings are tough. No matter how they turn out, most of the time the relationship between the siblings is changed forever. It also puts a huge strain on the parents of the two siblings when one of their kids was the aggressor and one was the victim.
When I take on Domestic Violence cases in Fort Walton Beach between siblings, I explain that my ethical duty is to defend them — not to repair their family relationship — not to protect anyone except my client. If I can do that AND protect the family relationships, I am happy to do it. But I will always choose the strategy that gives me the best chance of winning my client’s case.
JD’s case presented such a dilemma. He was accused of Battery in Fort Walton Beach against his brother. He told me that it was his brother who had started the argument, and it was his brother who was the one who got physical. However, JD told me that he would not allow me to blame his brother.
As a criminal defense attorney, I am required to adapt to many different circumstances with each client’s case. In JD’s case, I helped my client’s brother write a statement that explained what happened, but I did it in a way that kept him from getting himself into trouble. JD was fully on board with this strategy, and it worked.
I gave the brother’s statement to the prosecutor. I also told him that JD was not going to accept any guilty pleas. I made it clear that we expected a dismissal, and that given the unique circumstances between two brothers who truly loved each other, it was the right thing to do.
The prosecutor dismissed the case. JD and his brother were never required to testify against each other in court, and they were able to reconcile. All in all, a very happy ending to a terrible experience for this family. I was glad to be able to help.
If you have been arrested for Domestic Violence in Fort Walton Beach, I’m sure you are looking for results. Call Flaherty & Merrifield today at (850) 243-6097 and let’s talk about it.