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Domestic Violence

Domestic Violence M.C. Bruce has represented hundreds of men and women on Domestic Violence (DV) cases. He understands that there are important issues that need to be addressed immediately when you’ve been arrested for DV.

M.C. Bruce’s Notable Cases:

In one famous case, chronicled in the Eureka Reporter, M.C. Bruce won a quick acquittal for a woman accused of breaking another woman’s jaw. Mr. Bruce’s aggressive cross of the victim during a videotaped deposition, and his masterful presentation of evidence on behalf of the woman not only convinced the jury; both the prosecutor and the judge agreed, after trial, to have the woman declared “innocent” and her arrest record destroyed. Such an action by the prosecutor and judge are very rare.

In one Humboldt case, a man was accused of hitting his female cousin because she had come to his house to “pick up some clothes.” Investigation which M.C. Bruce commenced revealed that the cousin had, moments before, threatened the man’s six year old daughter, terrifying her. The DV charge was dismissed and the man walked away with no jail time.

In another case, an ex-girlfriend accused a client of robbing her purse and stalking her. At the probation violation hearing, M.C. Bruce’s cross examination of the ex-girlfriend revealed that she was making the accusations to keep the client from dating another woman. The probation violation was dismissed and the prosecutor also dismissed the pending felony case against the client.

If You Are Arrested for a DV Case:

  1. Do NOT talk to the police to give them “your side of the story.” If they are arresting you, they will only use your words against you.
  2. Call a lawyer IMMEDIATELY. The DA might not file against you right away. As time goes on, evidence that could help you begins to fade. Calling a lawyer right away will put an investigator on your side at an early stage of the case.
  3. Do NOT talk to the victim. Even if she/he is your spouse or significant other, anything you say to her/him can be used against you, even though it’s your spouse! (There’s an exception to the “spouses can’t testify against one another” rule for DV cases.)
  4. If possible, move out of the residence where the alleged victim resides, even if only temporarily.
  5. If the DV case is the result of personal problems, contact your lawyer about starting personal therapy. This will help you deal with the problems that might have caused the event so that it doesn’t happen again. Also, it shows the court that you are serious about addressing any problems with violence you might have.