What happens when someone is arrested for Domestic Battery?
When a significant other (husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, life partner) is arrested, he or she is held in jail until going to a First Appearance or bond hearing before a judge. At that hearing, the judge will decide whether or not a bond will be required for release and the condition of the release, or whether the person arrested can be released under the supervision of Pre-Trial Services. At this point, the criminal process has begun and the person who was arrested is now known as the Defendant . In order to make decisions about the defendant s release, the judge will rely on input from the arresting officer s report, from Pre-Trial Services officers who have interviewed the defendant and from the Victim Advocate who attempts to contact the Victim for their views on release of the defendant. Pre-Trial Services completes a criminal history check and contacts the victim to inquire if the victim would be in fear of further violence if the defendant is released. The Victim Advocate
