Domestic Violence Calls Do Not Always Lead To Criminal Charges
Everyone has someone with whom emotions run high. Most siblings who fight like cats and dogs as kids work out their differences once they grow up, but since you and your brother are roommates out of economic necessity, your tempers flare just like they did in your childhood. Your off again on again girlfriend has a jealous streak, but every time one of you storms out in the middle of date night because a message arrived on your phone, you are back to being lovebirds by the next night. You and your spouse do not believe in divorce; you are determined to resolve your differences one knock down, drag out fight at a time. In relationships like these, one combatant sometimes calls the police, or sometimes the 911 call originates from a third party who has not figured out that this behavior is business as usual in your world. Domestic violence calls often lead to arrests, but pursuant to the laws of criminal procedure, many dominos must fall between the arrest and a criminal conviction, and in many domestic violence arrests, the case fizzles out long before it gets to the conviction stage. If your most recent fight with a sworn enemy that you just can’t seem to stay away from resulted in criminal charges, contact a Pittsburgh violent crimes lawyer.
Will Your Domestic Violence Case Just Blow Over?
After police respond to a domestic violence call, the criminal courts may or may not get involved, but the family courts almost always do. The first priority is to de-escalate the family conflict. The court issues a temporary restraining order to keep the parties from continuing their fight. There is a hearing several days later to determine whether to extend the order. If the parties are a couple or former couple who have children together, the court will enter a temporary parenting plan that accounts for the parents’ requirement to stay away from each other. The chances that one party will face criminal charges are greater if the other party suffered a physical injury serious enough to require medical treatment. In criminal cases involving domestic violence, as with any other criminal offense, the defendant can only get a conviction by pleading guilty or if the jurors agree that there is no doubt about the defendant’s guilt. Criminal courts must drop many domestic violence charges when the couple reconciles and the accuser refuses to testify against the defendant.
In the News
In December 2025, police in Pittsburgh responded to a domestic violence call that resulted in the arrest of Savannah Francis of Clairton. Police received the call about a violent fight between Clairton and an unnamed man. When they arrived, they transported the man to a hospital for treatment of what appeared to be a stab wound to the left side of his chest. Clairton is facing charges for aggravated assault, among other offenses.
Contact Gary E. Gerson About Criminal Defense Cases
A criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing criminal charges related to domestic violence. Contact the law offices of Gary E. Gerson in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about your case.
Source:
pittsburghpa.gov/News-articles/Public-Safety-Blotter/2025/Police-Respond-to-Domestic-Altercation-in-Troy-Hill-One-Arrested
