DOMESTIC VIOLENCE | PRACTICE AREAS

Seeking peaceful and lasting resolutions for all parties involved

Our office is sensitive to the struggles that relationships can present and defends and protects your rights with vigor and transparency, whether you seek an order of protection or have been served with, or arrested under, a claim of domestic violence

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PRACTICE AREAS

Domestic Violence

At the Law Offices of Benjamin N. Sternberg, A.P.C., our domestic violence defense attorney in Los Angeles understands how these charges can negatively impact our clients’ lives — and we work hard to deliver solutions that allow our clients to move forward with positive results, instead of having their lives permanently and negatively altered socially, professionally, and legally.

Both the California Penal Code and Family Law Code encompass the charges and punishments that are related to domestic violence cases, and the consequences will affect how you move forward with your relationship, including where you live, and even the custody of your children. Just being arrested and charged with domestic violence can lead to job loss, character and reputation concerns, and social disruption, as everyone around you forms their own opinion regarding the circumstances that led to your current legal position.

Ben Sternberg, our domestic violence attorney serving the San Fernando Valley, the Westside, East Los Angeles, the South Bay, Malibu, Santa Monica, and everywhere in between, focuses on our client’s absolute right to be viewed as innocent until proven guilty, no matter how emotionally charged the case becomes. We offer legal representation that includes a full investigation of the circumstances of these charges that allow our client to be treated fairly and justly inside and outside of the courtroom. Many times the filing party has been made to the reimburse the legal fees of the accused.

Domestic Violence and the California Court System

The Law Offices of Benjamin N. Sternberg, A.P.C. was founded by our lead attorney, Ben Sternberg, after he worked for the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, Office of the Los Angeles County District Attorney, and two separate Beverly Hills law firms. The experience gained in the prosecutorial offices as well as in private practice, allows our Los Angeles domestic violence attorney to revert to the knowledge and foresight gained during these years, to counter the claims alleged against you.

The California Courts describe domestic violence as willful abuse that is inflicted in one or more of the following categories:

  • Destroying someone’s personal property, or disturbing their peace
  • Harassing, stalking, or threatening behavior
  • Recklessly or intentionally physically hurting someone, or trying to hurt someone
  • Sexual assault
  • Threats or promises to hurt someone, or making someone reasonably afraid that they or another are about to be seriously injured
  • Identity theft including stealing email and phone passwords

Can Anyone Be Charged with Domestic Violence?

Domestic violence is categorized as such because of the personal nature of its involvement. Strangers who engage in physical assaults are not charged with domestic violence because their relationship is not intimate. Because of this designation, the charges are often more severe, and the social reflection of these charges can be condemning at work, privately with friends and family members, and publicly.

Domestic violence occurs when there is a close relationship between the accused and the alleged victim and can include

  • Spouses
  • Separated or divorced spouses
  • Couples who are dating, or used to date
  • Individuals who are living together, or used to live together — who are/were not roommates
  • Parents who have a child or children together
  • Close relatives, including parents, grandparents, children, siblings, or in-laws

Highly respected by judges and prosecutors alike, Ben Sternberg knows exactly what the other side of the courtroom is focusing on, and how to fully counter their arguments to work toward reaching the best outcome available for our clients who have been charged with domestic violence in the State of California.

How Are Domestic Violence Charges Prosecuted in California?

When someone is arrested for domestic violence, the police often take the word of the person who called 911 and immediately begins forming a biased opinion of the individual they have in custody. The system can be easily manipulated, and if one party is seeking revenge or has an agenda to upset the credibility of the other, domestic violence charges are often their preferred route of gaining control. Our firm has represented many people, men and women, who are unjustly charged with domestic violence, or have been introduced to the court system under false pretenses that can ruin their lives going forward.

While each San Fernando Valley domestic violence case differs, being convicted of these charges can lead to horribly negative legal, professional, and social circumstances, including:

  • Community service
  • Custody interference
  • Heavy fines
  • Immigration consequences
  • Inability to purchase or carry a firearm
  • Jailtime
  • Job loss
  • Lengthy mandatory classes and counseling
  • No contact or restraining orders
  • Permanent record that cannot be expunged
  • Trouble renting, leasing or obtaining loans


Our San Fernando Valley domestic violence lawyer creates a supportive and focused approach to delivering results for our clients by respectfully representing those who are charged, so they can maintain their dignity while we assertively handle their case.

On the civil side, domestic violence is prosecuted privately by the accuser under the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, seeking an order to limit your movements and actions, as well as possibly custody of your children.

Can the Accuser Change Their Mind and Drop Domestic Violence Charges in California?

Domestic violence accusations, charges, and arrests are very serious, and if the person who made the call to 911 decides to drop the charges s/he will not be able to do so.

In the State of California, the prosecutor’s office will make the decision on whether to file domestic violence charges, essentially taking that decision out ofaccuser’s hands, regardless of what the accuser wishes to pursue or press charges. Their decision to move forward with the case will be based on the initial 911 call, the police report, any injuries sustained, and whether there have been prior acts of domestic violence in this or other relationships.

Our attorney will focus on exonerating each of our clients who are facing life-changing domestic violence charges, and when or if a case cannot be dismissed outright, our lawyer will focus on delivering the best outcome available in each case.

Contact Our Domestic Violence Attorney at the Law Offices of Benjamin N. Sternberg, A.P.C. Today

If you have been arrested on domestic violence charges, the case before you can have life-long negative repercussions without the proper legal representation, so speaking to a seasoned attorney is wise. Contact our Los Angeles domestic violence attorney at the Law Offices of Benjamin N. Sternberg, A.P.C. today at (818) 574-0860 to ensure your rights are protected, and that your defense is not left to chance. The prosecutor’s office will do everything in their power to ensure you pay the maximum price for the charges they have filed against you. Our accomplished attorney will provide professional and personal representation that will allow you to be treated fairly and with respect, so you can move forward with positivity.

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