Misdemeanors are lesser offenses than felonies, but you still do not want them on your record. If you have been charged with a misdemeanor for a domestic violence crime, you should seriously consider hiring a lawyer to defend you. Even with a misdemeanor on your record, it may be difficult for you to get a job or receive public assistance of any kind.
The Severity of Your Charges
Did you threaten someone with a gun? Point the gun at them or pretend you were going to shoot them? If it was not a gun, did you threaten bodily harm, or advance upon them as though you intended to hurt them? Grabbing them and causing mild physical harm also counts under this charge, even if you did not seriously injure them.
Your attorney will need to know what happened. Issues with guns are a little harder to get dismissed than simply verbally threatening someone. Different circumstances or what led to you being arrested and charged might change the whole picture for the judge.
You Might Be Released on Bail or Serve Time in Jail
If this is your first-time offense, you might just be released on bail and told to do community service or instructed to seek therapy. A harsher sentence is a month or more in the county jail. If you know that this isn’t the first time you have been charged with this, then the judge knows it too and it might mean jail or prison.
Fines are also an option the court can impose. Some fines can be quite steep, felony fines can go up to $10,0000. That is not counting the cost of bail. It just depends on what the judge thinks you need as corrective action. If your lawyer argues a good case, the sentence might be lighter, but jail or prison are still possibilities.
