Many Statesville, North Carolina, residents may struggle in their romantic relationships, and there may even be a lot of serious tension at home that occasionally boils over. However, as Statesville residents can probably guess, North Carolina law prohibits domestic violence, and someone who crosses the line from being angry to being abusive may face serious legal consequences.

Unlike some other states, North Carolina does not have one law that prohibits domestic violence, although it does have a separate law which prohibits people from violating civil protective orders. There are in fact several different types of criminal charges a person might face when accused of domestic violence, and many of them are felonies that can send a person to prison, sometimes for a long time.

Furthermore, depending on the circumstances, a North Carolina judge might be able to impose additional terms of probation on a defendant if the judge finds the defendant and the victim were in what the law calls a “personal relationship.” These terms can include mandatory drug, psychological or other treatment, even treatment on an inpatient basis.

The bottom line is that a North Carolina resident who gets in to a fight with his or her spouse or significant other, even when nothing actually happened, can face several serious criminal charges. If they stick, these charges can affect a person for the rest of his or her life and long-term professional goals. For this reason, it is usually a good idea for a person accused of a domestic assault or other related crimes to get the help of an experienced criminal law attorney.