Articles Posted in Domestic Violence

The State of Maine updated its laws is a new way to classify crimes. Instead of just misdemeanors and felonies, there are now five different classes of crimes in the Pine Tree State. In most places, criminal offenses are classified as either felonies or misdemeanors. But in Maine, the State uses a different structure of criminal punishment.

Our state’s criminal offenses are divided into five classes: A, B, C, D, and E.

Each class of crime has its own maximum punishment. Class A crimes bring the most severe punishments. For example, A, B, and C crimes are felony offenses, with C class crimes being the least punitive of the felony classification crimes. Crime classes D and E are misdemeanor crimes, with potential jail sentences capped at 364 days. This means there are more options for a wide variety of punishments. It’s important to know which class your charges fall into and what penalties you could face. An example would be an arrest for possession of marijuana which is a serious criminal charge that one of our Saco and Portland criminal lawyers can handle for you. Or you may be facing an operating under the influence of alcohol charge (OUI-Alcohol) even if you blew under a 0.08 on the breathalyzer machine.

Portland and Saco Maine Domestic Violence Lawyers Webb Law Firm

If you have been ordered to follow a no-contact order in southern Maine (Augusta Maine and south of there), you should not take any chances. Learning about the stipulations and conditions placed against you in a no-contact order could save you from having to face serious consequences – including jail time.

A no-contact order is often confused with a domestic violence restraining order, but the two are not the same. Plus, they can carry drastically different penalties. In general, a no contact order is issued AFTER a threatening encounter has taken place, whereas a restraining order is granted BEFORE any violence has occurred. So, a restraining order is used to prevent the potential for a dangerous situation that can result in serious domestic violence charges.

Does a No Contact Order Specify the Physical Distance That Must Be Obeyed?

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