Facts:
My client and his wife had been having marital problems for some time. One night, they went out to a restaurant and then made the mistake of going out to a bar after. They both had been drinking heavily and it did not go well.
At the bar, it was alleged that my client became upset at his wife for flirting with other men. When they went to leave, they got into an argument in the parking lot and it was alleged that he shoved her.
He then left her at the bar, which really got her mad. When the police were called and she reported what had happened, he was arrested for domestic battery.
He bonded out, but was forced out of the home and could not have contact with his wife.
The Case:
He moved in with family and began doing the domestic violence classes. His wife hired a lawyer to represent her. He reached out to me and explained her position. She just wanted him to get help with his anger and drinking and then she would take him back. We struck a deal that if he did 15 weeks of counseling, they would agree to ask the prosecutor to drop it to a disorderly conduct.
After he did a few sessions, the wife even asked to have telephone contact, which the judge granted.
The Result:
After my client did 15 weeks of counseling, the charge was amended to a disorderly conduct. There was a withhold of adjudication, so no conviction, and he had to pay a $500 fine. Everyone was happy with the result.