Frequently Asked Questions about Alleged Criminal Violations in Arlington, Edmonds, Everett, Lake Stevens, Lynnwood, Marysville, Monroe and the rest of Snohomish County, Washington

Why did the court impose a no-contact order in my assault case? How do I get it lifted?

In an attempt to protect alleged victims, many courts in Snohomish County routinely issue no-contact orders when a defendant is arraigned for a crime allegedly involving domestic violence. The general theory behind this practice is that for every reported alleged assault, many others involving the same parties have occurred. While it is a noble goal to protect alleged victims, this procedure causes many hardships, particularly when the parties (defendant and victim) are married and have kids.

In general, courts are hesitant to remove no-contact order provisions pending the resolution of the case, and this is highly maddening to both the protected and restrained parties and it causes more stress and financial repercussions. However, a good attorney with experience in Domestic Violence cases may be able to assist you in having the order dropped by the court. Sometimes this involves purely legal argument; other times it requires the restrained party to participate in some sort of domestic violence education. In just the few weeks before this answer was written, our office has successfully helped clients in getting several no-contact orders dropped. We also have extensive history contesting the imposition of such orders, both as part of criminal allegations or civil petitions.
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