California Domestic Violence Defense Attorney

The Truth About Domestic Violence Allegations in California

California law enforcement is trained to make an arrest whenever they respond to a domestic disturbance call — even without physical evidence, even if both parties insist nothing happened. This mandatory-arrest policy means innocent people are booked based solely on a phone call. The prosecutorial machinery starts moving before you ever speak to an attorney.

False accusations in domestic violence cases are disturbingly common, particularly during contentious divorces and custody battles where one party uses a DV allegation as leverage. Randal Shrout has handled hundreds of these cases and knows how to expose the pattern: inconsistent statements across multiple interviews, prior false police reports, timing that correlates suspiciously with custody hearings, and social media posts that directly contradict the alleged victim's narrative.

Even in cases where an incident did occur, California law requires prosecutors to prove the touching was intentional and harmful — not accidental — and that the defendant did not act in lawful self-defense. Under PC 243(e)(1) and PC 273.5, the prosecution must establish the specific relationship between parties and the nature of the contact. We challenge each element with precision, not with broad denials that juries distrust.

The collateral consequences of a domestic violence conviction are severe and often permanent: lifetime federal firearm prohibition under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9), mandatory 52-week batterer's intervention program, immigration consequences including deportation for non-citizens, and a conviction visible on background checks that affects housing, employment, and professional licensing for life.